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Tonight in youth service we started a new series called “Becoming Who You Are”. I spoke from 1 Peter 1:1-2. This is one of my favorite books of the Bible because its themes and perspective resonate with me.

Anyway, the opening of this letter addresses a people who have been marginalized and rejected because of their faith. Peter acknowledges their isolation, but reminds them that they have been chosen and accepted by God.

One of the several things I challenged our students with was that they needed to consider rejection a normal part of the Christian life. Being comfortable in this world isn’t a good thing for the believer, yet that’s what our culture wants from us. At least that’s what we often pursue. How can I fit in? Where can I find acceptance? Instead, Peter says, we’re foreigners here. We’re aliens and exiles who are sojourning through this life and world.

If we don’t feel rejection from the world, then we’re probably too much a part of it.

I bought the new David Crowder Band album today. It’s amazing. Do yourself a favor and buy it.

I’m always moved by DCB’s music and this album is no different. The opening song, “Glory of it All” is stuck in my head. It’s a song about our redemption and restoration that Jesus provides for us through the cross.

Here’s the lyrics (but do yourself a favor and buy the album):

Oh the Glory of it All
David Crowder Band

At the start
he was there, he was there
In the end,
he’ll be there, he’ll be there

And After all our hands have wrought
He forgives

Oh the Glory of it all is:
he came here
For the rescue of us all
that we may live
for the glory of it all
for the glory of it all

All is lost
find him there, find him there
After night
Dawn is there, Dawn is there

After all falls apart
he repairs he repairs

Oh the Glory of it all is:
he came here
for the rescue of us all
that we may live
for the glory of it all

oh he is here
for redemption from the fall
that we may live
for the glory of it all
oh the glory of it all
the glory of it all
oh the glory of it all

After night
comes the light
dawn is here
dawn is here
it’s a new day
it’s a new day
everything will change
things will never be the same
we will never be the same
we will never be the same
we will never be the same
we will never be the same

Oh, The glory of it all is
you came here
for the rescue of us all
that we may live
for the glory of it all

Oh you are here
with redemption for us all
that we may live
for the glory of it all
for the glory of it all
oh the glory of it all

Today my devotional reading came from the Gospels. Part of it was from John 1. It’s a familiar passage to most people: “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God….” But then verse 10 says this (in the NLT), “But although the world was made through Him, the world didn’t recognize Him when He came.”

This struck me because the previous verses affirm that He is the Creator. Now, generally speaking, when a person creates something, they leave their mark on that creation. Artists have a certain way of drawing a picture, writers have specific styles, builders form structures with specific tendencies and perspectives. It’s the same thing for people. We’ve been created in the image of God. His hand prints are all over us.

How sad is it then, when we don’t recognize Him?

But that’s the state of our world. I think that’s the state of the church sometimes as well. Too many people have a perspective of God that makes Him a dictator – someone who arbitrarily picks what we can or can’t do.

That’s not the right perspective. God’s laws are a reflection of who He is (God is completely honest and true, so we shouldn’t steal, lie, etc.). Since that is the case, when we obey His laws and reflect Him, then we are entering in to true, authentic, real existence. We move away from dogma and enter into relationship that is vibrant and living. We reach our ultimate potential when we enter into this reality.

The job of the follower of Christ, then, is to live out the reverse of John 1:10. To live out a life that reflects Christ in such a way that others meet Jesus and ultimately recognize Him in you.

I came across this picture of some crayons as a bullet slams through them. You can see a bunch of other stuff being shot at here.

Someone sent me a link to the “word clock” several weeks ago. I just came a across it in my browser, so I thought I’d share it here. It’s a fascinating tools that counts all sorts of world information like births, deaths, the production of cars and even the U.S. prison population. It’s amazing to click on “Now” and watch the numbers climb before your eyes. If you haven’t seen this yet, you definitely need to check it out.