July 26

Today's Reading: 1 Peter 2:1-25

Here Peter calls us to live holy lives. Right in the middle of the chapter he gives us this reason we are to do that:

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.
1 Peter 2:10 (ESV)

Hopefully, these words sound familiar to you. Peter is referencing here the prophecy from Hosea that we read last week.

It is important to note that we are not God's people nor do we receive His mercy because we are deserving. But because, God has chosen us to be His people and because He has given us mercy, we ought to live holy lives, both out of gratitude for what He has done and because we want our lives to bring Him glory.