I know you are very well famliar with the Elf on the Shelf Christmas thing. I personally think it is kind of silly, but some kids love it and look forward to doing it. Shelves are good things because they make it possibe to hold your books, decorate with trinkets, and many other uses. In 1 Peter 2:1 Peter challenges us to "put aside" or put on a shelf these things. Malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander. He says to get rid of them and in getting rid of those take on a longing for better things. Peter says to "long" fopr the pure milk of the word with the result of growing, and that is in respect to our salvation. "In respect to" is Peter literally saying "then your salvation will be seen" which also means it will show we have tasted salvation and regeneration has been accomplished. In simple terms it means "you were born again, now act like it!!" It also means we are not an Elf on a Shelf that is being hidden so people have to try and find you being a Christian. You are "off the shelf" and it is easy to see you have met Jesus. No hidden faith. No wandering heart. Just pure milk that you get from the Word of God.
As we get closer to celebrating the birth of Jesus may we all put aside, or "shelf" those four things and much more that is keeping us from showing we are a "living stone." Because you see in verses 4 and 5 where it says 4 And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. your new life in Christ is visible and growing!! When that happens God is happy and you are happy because your new nature is beginning to show and go! God is in da house and we like it... Ya see, when God does take up residence in our lives and the Holy Spirit begins to take control we have a craving for The Word and The Word satisfies the spiritual longing in our heart. It was not any different for the Woman at the Well when Jesus offered her a drink to satisfy her thirst. In John 4:10 it says 10 Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”
When Jesus satifies our thirst, we are truly satisfied, and the end result is a living stone that is in line with the cornerstone, Jesus. When the Samaritan Woman began to realize who it was she was talking to everything started to make sense and in John 4:24-26 24 God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25 The woman *said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us.” 26 Jesus *said to her, “I who speak to you am He.” When we long for and experience the Word of God we are experiencing Jesus, because He is the Word and our thirst will be satisfied and our life will be off the shelf and the past life will be put on the shelf. Life-change....Let the change begin and get off the shelf and be known for who you are. A born again believer. Tolstoy wrote Everybody thinks of changing Humanity and Nobody thinks of changing Himself. When we are changed, God begins to change people around us through the truth we are living, not just talking about.
The Pilgrimage Continues....
David Warren