Wednesday, April 30, 2025  

Today's Scripture
1 Peter 1:13–25

Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for

“All flesh is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
and the flower falls,
but the word of the Lord remains forever.”

And this word is the good news that was preached to you. (NRSV)

Reflection

I was confirmed in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) the summer between my freshman and sophomore years in high school. The way I saw it, confirmation was my one opportunity to be “born anew” after baptism. It was a chance to start over and something I put off for an extra year so I could be extra sure that when I started over I would “get it right.”

Of course, there is no “getting it right.” We’re all sinners, and that’s how it will always be. There are certainly ways to “do better,” but there is no “get it right.” Still, I remember wishing that there were more opportunities to start over — to be born anew. I knew that if I was truly sorry and prayed for forgiveness that God would forgive me — and in that sense, there are infinite opportunities to “start anew.” But it’s not the same. There was something powerful about making a public commitment to following Jesus’ teachings that I was craving.

As an adult, I know that, if I look, there are opportunities every day for me to make that public commitment. And I don’t mean preaching on a street corner. I mean in the choices I make about how I use my voice to advocate for, protect, and serve the marginalized members of my community; the choices I make about how I speak to and about people I disagree with; the events I do (and don’t) show up to.

Prayer
For the daily opportunities to publicly proclaim who and whose I am, I give you thanks, Lord. Amen.

Written by Nicole Spirgen, Member of Fourth Presbyterian Church

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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