Week of July 30

“I am persuaded that love and humility are the highest attainments in the school of Christ and the brightest evidences that He is indeed our Master” (John Newton). Peter carries forward the theme of patient suffering for Christ by exhorting his readers to practice humility. To patiently endure God-ordained suffering seems extreme for many contemporary Christians. We have extreme sports, but to be placed in severe circumstances for the sport of their first-century pagan opponents could very well cause these Christians to chafe. Let’s learn from the Apostle how to practice this virtue of humility when faced with stresses in our daily lives.

Peter has reached the place where he takes up concerns related to the church community. He has just concluded a section on suffering at the hands of outsiders. Even though there is a conjunction that begins this section, some scholars do not see a logical link to the previous subject (cf. NAC). Consider this thought: We may well understand the strains that would occur within the church due to suffering and the need to encourage and strengthen the internal fellowship to prevent stress fractures in the body.
 
For example, leaders and younger followers needed to respond appropriately to other members in the church (cf. 5:1-5). Peter also inserts the reminder that “judgment begins with the household of God,” so there is a deeper theological current of submission to the Lord that runs through his instructions (cf. 5:17-18). I appreciate what Peter addresses because there is an anti-Christian backlash evident today, so we do well to recognize the importance of sustaining healthy relationships in our extraordinarily stressful contemporary society.

God uses affliction to our benefit. God knows that we need to be purified to remove sinful “dross” in our lives. Holiness, as we all know, is demanding (1 Peter 4:17). We must keep in mind that this is no ordinary God making demands upon believers. Peter uses an expression, “mighty hand of God,” that was associated with God’s deliverance of Israel from Egypt (e.g., Exodus 3:19; 32:11; Deuteronomy 4:34). The Lord delivered Israel from Egypt, and He would vindicate these saints in Asia Minor who suffered too.
 
God ultimately brings blessing from the current burden. We are reminded that humility is not the “ultimate goal” (NAC). Humility is linked to eschatology here. The result will be God exalting them in due time, a theme that can be traced back to the teachings of Jesus (Matthew 23:12; Luke 14:11: 18:14). These believers (and we, also) will receive this vindication, in full, in the coming age (see also 1:3-12). Many Christians know the daily reality of being bowed over because of persecution, but they will ultimately be lifted in the day of God’s visitation.

Peter immediately continues with a glorious entreaty, even as those early saints were pondering the weightiness of his call to humble suffering. He calls them to “cast all their anxiety” on the Lord. The words literally mean to “throw upon” the Lord’s shoulders their burdens. It was to be a decisive act and, I believe, a direct contrast to chafing and grousing under the weight of suffering. Humble action means we show complete trust in God’s purposes for our lives when we suffer.
 
The wonder is not simply that God even pays attention to us, but that He genuinely cares for our needs. Peter’s exhortation “embraces all the difficulty a believer who wants to live godly in a fallen world must face” (EBC). We know this to be true of God because He became flesh in the person of His Son, Jesus (cf. Matthew 10:29-31). Let’s apply the text to our lives.

“Practice makes perfect,” is the time-tested maxim for a wide range of activities. American football athletes, as well as marching bands across the nation, are assembling at training camps as fall football season approaches. The time is grueling and there is quite a bit of physical and emotional toil as coaches work athletes and band members on everything from playbooks and musical pieces to stamina in the hot sun. Success requires direction, whether a team is running plays or marching in precision. Even though many athletes and musicians dislike the rigorous regimen, they will admit that they perform better on the field when they have been coached and practiced.
 
A spiritual thought to consider. The Christian life bears some resemblance to a spiritual “training camp.” Peter challenges us to trust God’s hand with our training—even if He permits us to suffer for a little while. He promises to lift us up in due time. D.L. Moody’s words apply: “Let God have your life; He can do more with it than you can.”

1. Take some time today to write down your current spiritual regimen. How much time is spent preparing yourself for the rigors of holy living? For suffering? Sadly, many of us spend very little time reading, studying, praying, and applying the Scriptures to our daily lives. Ask the Lord to assume full control of coaching you in the Christian walk.
 
2. Some of us may be encountering some level of suffering for our commitment to Christ. We may be experiencing ridicule from our peers for our faith (cf. 1 Peter 4:12-14). Ask God to strengthen you in these trials. Rather than chafing over the struggle, choose to throw your anxieties on the Lord because He cares for you.

3. For Families: Our junior-high and high-school children have already started “two-a-days” for football, band, cheer-leading, and many other sports/activities. These early morning and afternoon sessions take their toll. Perhaps some extra attention and consistent encouragement will help them as they enter into a difficult few weeks. Challenge your kids to use these sessions as “two-a-days” in walking with God too!

As they awaken in the early morning, be ready to greet them with a sweet word of love for their hearts and something nourishing for their bodies. In the afternoons, give them cheerful send-offs and welcoming returns as they complete each daily round. Place a small verse of inspiration in their hand each day, so they can remember that God will be with them, and there will be spiritual work for them to do too. Click here for a list of verses to lighten the hearts as they work out. Perhaps tomorrow you can begin with our verse of the day:

May your paths be straight,
Larry C. Ashlock