Presbyterian & Reformed

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
11 Beloved, I urge you has sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.  1 Pet 2:9-12

Debate will go on (Indeed, have we not seen it?) about whether this year or next year constitutes the true end of the decade. However you come down on that, this time of year is typically one that leads to contemplation. This is not a bad thing. In fact, it’s a scriptural thing.

For many 2008 held great promise. Gretna core groups were meeting and we began a third service for GRC out in Gretna. Our giving was without precedent. It was a season of realization of many goals. Ministry flourished. Many started to serve and have continued to serve throughout this year and hopefully going forward as well.

Then, 2009 came. It was a rougher year for many and did not seem to offer much of the ‘mountaintop’ experience and feeling of 2008. And yet, we increased our ministry presence amongst the Walt Hill tribe; we sent two teams to Belize; YXL was well attended; leadership is flourishing amongst our young people. in many ways, many things came together in extraordinary ways. And still it did not feel like we were making progress.

And yes, things have been tough. We lost families due to moves, a feeling that they could better serve in other places and even through discipline. The budget has been stretched. And yet we continue.

Mountaintop experiences are, by nature, transitory and seasonal. There are many hurting people in the valleys, too, and we can walk amongst them and share their pain; know what it is to be less than spectacular. The mountaintop is great but in some ways, the valley is real.

Peter tells us we are a chosen people, a royal priesthood. Not because of how we feel or how well we do or anything in us at all. Rather it is based on the work of Christ. We’re a people, a nation called aside to holiness. Citizens reflect their leaders and our leader is Jesus Christ. We are called to proclaim his excellencies.

Peter doubtlessly found this message even in the Old Testament. We can look at Isaiah 43:15-21 or Exodus 19:4-6. This who we are and this is what we are to do. We who were not a people are now a people and we are called to proclaim the glory, mercy and excellence of our King.

As sojourners and exiles, we are called to do holiness amongst the Gentiles. In ‘everyday’ language, this really calls us to do what is right based on who we are, not based on how we feel. In years like 2009, valley years, years hard to live through- we are to flee sin, yes, but we are to stop our ears and eyes to the lies of the enemy. We do not live according to feeling. This right conduct Peter calls us to is just our everyday living. It’s our habitual way of life. We seek holiness not for our own feel-good high, but for the glory of God.

This decade has been called the aughts. Two thousand aught nine. But we should be careful not to be a people of ‘oughts’. We don’t measure success in numbers. Do we want to reach more for the Kingdom? Of course! Have we failed if we don’t? No. We are called to be faithful. Regardless of where we are at the end of next year, or even the next decade – 2020 speaking to us of ‘vision’ – we are in God’s hand, under his will, his sovereignty, his outworking, and He who sees all things sees our future as well.