Day 307 – 1 Peter – The shepherding of God’s people
“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8 NIV
Read 1 Peter 5:1-14
We are privileged to belong to God’s family, a community founded on Jesus Christ. Everyone in His family is related – we are all brothers and sisters, loved equally by God. Because of our foundation, we must be devoted, loyal, and faithful to Him. Through obedience, we show that we are truly God’s children and accept the challenge to live life differently from the society around us.
Because we are family in Christ, we should shepherd each other with sympathy, love, compassion, and humility. Shepherding is not just the “job” of the church leaders. We, like the early believers, should guide and treat our fellow Christians with the love Jesus asks of us. Though it’s not always easy, willing service is the best way to influence loved ones. To gain the strength we need for self-discipline and submission, we need to constantly pray for God’s help and guidance. It is our responsibility not to let our fellow believers be devoured by the enemy, but to help them build their faith and to stay true to You.
Prayer: Father, thank You for showing us in this book the way to shepherd our fellow believers through love to stay devoted to You. Give us the strength to be obedient to You and patient with those You bring into our lives. Amen.
