Reading With the People of God #7 Commitmentናሙና

Memorization Challenge:

6 Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. 7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. 8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. 9 This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:6-9 NLT)

15 But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve... But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15 NLT)

Reading Primer:

Be alert and of sober minded. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8 NIV)

In today’s passage of 1 Peter 5, we have Peter closing out his letter to the Christians in the churches of Asia Minor. He is giving them some instructions on living a spiritually mature life. These are vulnerable Christians who are under attack and in need of encouraging elders to

“shepherd the flock of God that is among them” -1 Peter 5:2

A sheep needs to be led by a good shepherd. They get lost easily, are defenseless, and are stubborn, smelly, and very oily creatures. Because of this thick oil, they are dirty and stained.

In Psalm 100:3, we are called “the sheep of God’s pasture.” this is interesting, given the description of a sheep. However, sheep are intelligent, humble, and meek in attitude. I’ve heard it said that they are also easily broken in spirit as they can experience emotions. Sheep are also social and followers. I could go on and on about the sheep, but I believe we get the picture here. I can’t help but wonder if God created sheep as a spiritual symbol for us.

Peter desires the elders to shepherd the flock of God, to shepherd the church. Sheep without a good shepherd cannot survive. The Churches needed to be cared for by spiritually mature elders eager to do God's will and exhort them.

Peter is addressing this letter to the Churches of those ancient days. However, it is for all ages, which means for us today. Like the sheep, certain attitudes create certain behaviors. Peter tells us to have a watchful mind. To have this mindset, we need the proper attitude. To have the proper attitude, we must have a clear mind of the truth, the Word of God. As a body of Christ, we must be spiritually mature by submitting, trusting, being humble, and having self-control and vigilance. Satan is loose and does roam around with his helpers. Peter instructs us to resist him and stand firm in our faith. It takes a lot of exercise to be obedient to God's Word. Jesus is the “Chief Shepherd” -1 Peter 5:4, and He needs His under-shepherds to exhort His flock into an unwavering, unshakable faith. As a body of Christ, we are to work together, encouraging one another, lifting each other, and helping a lost brother or sister who might have been led astray or has fallen. We need mature spiritual elders equipped to tackle the huge responsibility of tending to their congregation. Again, this takes a lot of daily exercise and effort, and we must all be willing to put the work into it if we truly want to live a life dedicated to the One Who gave it to us. A life that is ready to stand firm.

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have everything, to stand. (Ephesians 6:13 NIV)

Yahweh, Elohim, we thank You for Your Son Jesus, the Chief Shepherd. You, Jesus, came to find the lost sheep. You taught us by Your parable in the book of Luke that a good shepherd would leave behind the 99 to find the lost one. We thank You for Your faithfulness. Father, we thank You for the gift of faith and for giving us the Holy Spirit to help equip us with the tools needed to live a faithful, godly life. Thank You for our elders, bishops, and pastors who not only love You LORD but love their flock. We are sorry for the times we become lazy and don’t want to put the effort into the work necessary to live an obedient lifestyle. We ask You, Holy Spirit, to help us put on the full armor of God to stand firm. We ask that You continue to guide us on the path of righteousness. We ask that You train, instruct us down the narrow path, and fill us with discernment. We ask this in Your name Jesus. I pray in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

- Amanda Moon, All Woman’s Fitness Specialist