1 Peter 2:9-10 - Winter Retreat shows God's people at work

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:9-10

Summary: We are a chosen race, God's own people. God called us out of darkness into God's light.

Thoughts: We are the people of God. God has claimed us. We were called by God our of the darkness that we inhabit, into the marvelous light of God.  How would our lives be different if we lived as if we were God's people? I think I saw an example of this a week ago at Holy Covenant UMC's youth Winter Retreat.  It was a beautiful weekend. The days were warm, which was much appreciated since it had been snowing only a few days before and had been bitterly cold (for Dallas, anyway!). We went to Turner Falls in Oklahoma for the day, but much of the snow and ice that had fallen had not melted there. So the paths that are normally easy to scramble up and down were much more treacherous. It was there that I saw a youth group, that often splits into specific sub-groups, turn into a cohesive whole. I saw chains of 8-10 youth helping each other down the mountainside and some youth going back up to help others down. Unfortunately, we did have one injury (sorry Katelyn!) but I believe that it could have been much worse if we had not all been working together to help each other. What if we took this lesson, that the path is easier to traverse when working together, and extended it to our daily lives? What if we lived as God's people, treating everyone else around us as a special child of God? How would the world be different?

Prayer: Lord, help me to live as one of your chosen people, loving those around me unconditionally. Amen.