We are a royal priesthood

11-8-19
Today’s devotion is based on 1 Peter 2:2-5. “Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. As you come to him, the living Stone-- rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him--you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

The holy priesthood is usually referred to as “the universal priesthood.” As I have been studying the words “holy priesthood,” I have come to realize that it is quite often misunderstood. The word “holy” does not mean sinless but means “set apart” from the values of the world. In the Old Testament, there were two types of priests, priests that taught delivering God’s word to the people and priests that served in the temple, sacrificing what the people brought to the temple. We are the latter priests who still offer; instead of sacrificing animals, we offer spiritual sacrifices to God. Those sacrifices being prayer, thanksgiving, and the good deeds of our lives all of which are spiritual worship.

Please pray with me the prayer for today: Heavenly Father, creator, and sustainer of all things you have consecrated us as your sacrificial priests in our baptism. You have made us one with our High Priest, Jesus. Thank you for