Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Repent and Return
1 Peter 4:1-6
“As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God”. (2)

In the NBA we see some basketball players traded from one team to the others. For example, Dwight Howard played for the LA Lakers. He wore their jersey filled with purple and gold and played by their game book and rules. He was on the LA Lakers and represented anywhere he went. But then, he got traded and was sold to the Houston Rockets. His colours changed to red, he followed the rules of the game and how he played changed according to the ways of the team he was on. He couldn’t go back to the LA Lakers and he couldn’t look like or play like the LA Lakers anymore. His identity was now the Rockets and he played like a part of the Rockets.

In a similar manner, there are two choices we have as human beings. To live our lives according to earthly/worldly ways or according to the will of God as Jesus Christ did. Jesus Himself, as a human being suffered and was able to overcome all obstacles in a sinless manner. He was the Son of God, represented the Son of God, so He lived as a representation of that. Many of us nowadays struggle between the ways of this world and choosing to truly repent and return to God. We sway between the earthly life and the will of God. As it speaks of in Revelation, we live our lives as lukewarm Christians, neither hot nor cold. When we live like this God wants to spit us out of His mouth. We must choose who we will serve today. Although we may be the one swimming against the ways of this world, although we may be ridiculed for our ‘righteous’ ways of living, God calls us to choose and stick with it. Just as Dwight Howard represents the team he is playing for 24/7, we too are called to be a representative of Christ in this world 24/7 so that we can point others to Him. 1 Peter 4:1-6 is a great reminder to us Christians in today’s society to examine where we are in our lives and to determine if we have truly repented and returned to the one who gave us life to live.

Prayer: Father God, we pray for your mercy and grace over our lives and for all those who struggle with choosing between this world and your will. Help us to seek you constantly in our lives and to continue to represent Your love in all that we do.

Thought for the Day: Choose to go against the ways of this world and choose to live a life of discipleship and eternal life.

Betty Vattakunnel, Trinity MTC, Houston


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