Take a moment to read 1 Peter 2:21-25 and Isaiah 53 before reading the devotional below.
Have you ever wondered about your calling in life? Perhaps you’ve prayed for God to reveal his will for your life. Today’s verses give us one example of clear calling that we should not dismiss merely because it is not written in the sky with our name attached. Peter tells us that God has called us to two key spiritual acts: do good and follow Jesus’ example no matter what.
In our culture, suffering is something we tend to avoid at all costs. Most commercials and products are about ways to end any kind of even minor suffering. The Bible is the opposite. Suffering is something that brings us closer to the example of Jesus as we give up comfort to enable others to gain freedom. We patiently endure while clinging to our faith and hope. And in case we have forgotten just exactly what Christ’s example was, Peter references Isaiah 53 to explain: Jesus willingly gave his life for your sins.
Here’s your freedom for today: Jesus considers you worth dying for. He left his own life in God’s hands and personally carried our sins all the way to the cross. This act of suffering and sacrifice is what makes your freedom possible today. You get to live a life in the right direction. If we were each to follow Christ’s example today, who might experience freedom too? How could we make a difference if we followed our calling to do good and to be like Jesus?