Devotions
from The Woods @Wanamaker
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1 Peter 1:(14-19)
As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. There was a famous preacher who once said, “the world is my parish.” For my Daddy, the world was his fix-it shop. He would find these old objects all over the place. He would find stuff in junk shops. He would find things at garage and yard sales. He would find stuff at the city dump. He would even find things on the side of the road. They were the kinds of things that most of us would consider as done in or useless. My Daddy had a whole different way of seeing things, and each of these things (wood, plastic, rubber, etc…) would become a piece of the putting together of my Daddy’s plan. You see my father wouldn’t collect these things just to clean them up or polish off a few scratches here and there. He always had a plan to take all these old useless creations and repurpose them into a new creation of his own design. We always had so much fun receiving these new creations at Christmas time. What was even more interesting was to the hear the story of how he gathered each item from here and there and then refashioned them into something of greater value. No doubt you can see where I am taking this can’t you? We are entering into this series on First Peter here at Wanamaker Woods. The central word that we find in this first chapter is ransomed (verse 18). It means that we have been bought back like a useless object at a pawn shop. The Father has walked into these places of futility and has redeemed us through the precious blood of His very own son. You, my friend, have been bought with precious currency. You have been set apart as an object of holiness that is to reflect His glory. And so Peter calls us to a life that is so radically different from the way people normally behave. Peter wants to remind us that we have been remade for greater purposes. We are not to return to our old functions of futility. Now you’ve been polished up for a much more admirable use. So be sure you live up to it. That means ‘holiness’: being set apart for God in every part and at every level. I gotta tell ya! You won’t regret living “a life worthy of the calling you have received.” Oh, I can see it almost like it is happening now. The Father will gather His children around the table. They call it the wedding feast of the lamb ya know. Then He will begin to tell the grand story of every piece, and every person who has been bought and brought back into His Kingdom. He’ll rehearse all the interesting details of how He miraculously connected it all together. I can picture it, can you? I’m pretty sure someone will hop on the piano. It might be Brenda or Patsy for all we know. Then we will begin to sing the Father’s favorite song. It goes something like this….. “But His favorite song of all Is the song of the redeemed When lost sinners now made clean Lift their voices loud and strong When those purchased by His blood Lift to Him a song of love Nothin' more He'd rather hear Nor so pleasin' to His ear As His favorite song of all” Pastor Donny
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AuthorNotes from the Staff @The Woods Archives
March 2023
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