“For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls” (1 Peter 2:25).

When we are not following the Lord, we are wandering.  We were never meant to do life on our own.  The hunger in us is for the Lord.  Do not live as those who have no hope or direction, but live following the Lord of your soul.  The one who created you must be the One who oversees the direction of your soul.  It is He who saves us and not we ourselves.  Come into His salvation.

Lord, You know the places where I resist You and do not come into the salvation You have prepared for us in the sight of all people — not only me, but all of those who will follow You.  Guide me this day to walk in the newness of life you give so that I may now and forever by guided by You, the One who is the guardian of our souls.  Lead me, Good Shepherd, in the way of everlasting life.

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for all of your goodness and mercy.  By Your grace, lead me as You know I need to be led.  You are Lord and I am a sheep in Your hands.  You know where I need to go and what needs to happen.  Guide me, dear Lord, in the way of everlasting life in order that I would now and forever be guided by You, the Good Shepherd.  You are the Shepherd of my soul and I shall not want.  Amen.

“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24)

You have been healed through, by, and for Christ, the One who saves.  He took upon Himself the iniquity of us all.  He has done what needed to be done in order that you might be freed to live into the life for which You have been created.  This is the amazing mystery that has been revealed to those who believe that through this death comes eternal life.  Live then into the life that Christ gives.

Lord Jesus, in You alone is there all hope.  You have come in order that all those who trust in what You have done for us, may walk the upward path that leads to eternal life.  Guide me now and always Lord so that I would forever trust You.  You have done this and there are many more promises that are an assurance to me.  Guide me now and always so that I may humbly walk the way of everlasting life.

Lord Jesus my Savior, in You alone is there all hope and a future.  You have died so that I might live.  You have united me through Your death with eternal life.  The mystery is deep, but I see it before me.  Guide me, Lord Jesus, in the way You know I need to go.  Guide me according to Your goodness and mercy to humbly walk the path You have laid before me.  In all I do, may I look to You for the grace You have purchased from the cross to redeem me.  Amen.  

“When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:23).

Our Lord is so great that He alone Is able to receive all the insults which still rail against Him and yet He continues to love us.  If you consider that He has done this for us, should you and I not consider that maybe this is the better way to live.  Come then and see the goodness of the Lord and seek His way of living while you can.  He who judges justly will enable you to love.

Lord, You know how angry this world is.  Lead me in all righteousness so that I would now and always be led by You to not only see these things, but to look to You to do what You would do.  Guide me in the upward way always to act upon what I know is right.  Teach me to not retaliate, even in my mind.  You are the perfect judge, and You will bring all things together for Your sake.

Come Lord Jesus and lead me in the way of loving.  I know how to insult and how to hurl them, but I need Your guidance to abstain from them so that I would learn to love even my enemies.  Lead me, dear Lord, in the way You have walked so that I would learn to bear all things You have given me knowing that Your purpose in me is being fulfilled.  Guide me now and always for Your sake.  Amen.

“He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth” (1 Peter 2:22)

Neither you nor I could ever take this claim as our own, but it is the prize to strive for.  Living the godly life isn’t about being perfect, but about striving to be like Christ.  Indeed, He knew no sin, but He became our sin on the cross.  He carried our burdens that otherwise would have crushed us.  Do not be disheartened.  Everything you need has already been provided.  He who knows you leads the way.

Lord, because there was no deceit in your mouth I can trust everything You say.  This world is filled with deceit.  Train me so that when I do not know where to turn, I turn to You.  Guide me in Your goodness and mercy to learn how to live and love as You lived and as You love.  Lead me in the upward way that I would not sin nor deceit be found in my mouth.

Lord Jesus, You have come, the heavy hitter, to clear the way for me to follow You in learning how to live a godly life.  Guide me, dear Lord, in the way of living such that I do not sin nor let deceit come out of my mouth.  Lord, You know the work that is needed to accomplish these things.  Lead me in running the race to finish the course that I may become more like You in all things.  Amen.

“To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps” (1 Peter 2:21).

Our contemporary culture has bought into the lie that if the Lord loves you, all will be well: that, or there is no God and we’re prosperous anyway.  So we send happy thoughts to one another in a grand illusion.  Christ suffered in this world of sin because sinful people hate righteousness.  If you follow Christ, you will suffer for His Name’s sake.  You then become an example of the suffering that happens because of sin.

Lord, let me not fall into the trap of thinking that all will be well if all goes well, You have said that I would be blessed if I was persecuted for Your name’s sake.  When I suffer in this way, I begin to sip of the sea you drank for me.  Lead me, O Lord, in the right way of living such that even if I do suffer, it is because of You and the Good News of the Gospel.  Help me to persevere.

Lord Jesus, for all of our sakes, You suffered death on the cross.  Guide me, dear Lord, in the way of life, teaching me to stand fast knowing that there are those who will hate me because of You.  Through thick and thin, grant me the fortitude to forever hold fast to the truth You have revealed once for all.  In Your goodness, lead me according to the Father’s will to lead a life that follows You no matter what.  Amen.  

“But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God” (1 Peter 2:20).

Be careful with the path of self-justification. It may lead you astray into pride. But truly, if you are being persecuted for Jesus’ sake, then endure it with fortitude.  But if it is deserved, be quick to repent and be led by the Spirit of the Lord.  He who is faithful will lead you in His goodness  through all circumstances.  Come to Him and be led by His grace and not by what you think or feel.

Lord, You must lead, for I do not understand the full truth of any situation.  When it is time, lead me to look to You and if persecuted, to persevere through all that may come my way.  This life is a struggle, and You are the Lord of all.  Guide me, Lord, in the way of eternal life so that I may now and forever be led by what is right and true.  Help me in every circumstance to go where You lead.

Lord Jesus, You know what it is to be persecuted for no reason at all.  You suffered beating and death for our sake.  Lead me, O Lord, in the way of truth so that I may now and always be guided by Your goodness and mercy.  Help me for Your name’s sake to walk in the humble way of serving You in others.  Through all things, teach me to persevere in order that I may indeed become more like You in all things.  Amen.

“For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God” (1 Peter 2:19).

If you are receiving what is due for bad behavior, what is that?  If you give and others know and applaud you, what is that?  The Lord is teaching us how to endure through the suffering of this world.  Too many fold at the first hint of suffering.  It is not about you, but about Him.  The Lord is the One who made us and we are to learn to honor Him no matter what.  Suffering is a part of what will happen in this age.

Lord, there are many places in Scripture where You teach me that I will suffer.  If I suffer because of my own misdeeds, that is one thing, but if I suffer because of You, help me learn how to patiently endure so that I may continue in the upward path of learning to love as You love.

Lord Jesus, You know the struggle.  You walked amongst those who were hating You every step of the way.  You endured all the way to the cross where they heaped upon You their final indignation, which was Your plan all along.  Guide me to follow Your footsteps in order that I would go where You want me to go and not where I want to go.  Help me learn from You gentle Savior.  Amen.  

“Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh” (1 Peter 2:18).

The principle is true today.  Bosses, co-workers, and all those with whom you interact are the ones whom you treat with respect.  If it helps, simply think in terms that the other is also a precious one for whom the Lord died.  Do not treat others in reaction to how they treat you but treat them as bearers of the image of God.  We all have been created in the image of God.  This, in part, is what it means to love your neighbor.

Lord, I am a bundle of self-centered nervousness.  I do not react emotionally to others as I should.  Guide me, dear Lord, in the way of truth so that I would learn to simply treat others as Your beloved and not neurotically.  Teach me to be a willing servant in every circumstance and to forgive when others do not treat me as I am treating them.  I know that suffering produces endurance.  Help me learn how to endure.

Lord Jesus, my hope is in the salvation You have given me by grace.  Guide me this day to be and act impartially well to all in how I treat them.  Whether they be harsh to me or not, teach me to be Your willing servant, learning to love my neighbor as You love me.  Through all these things, guide me in the upward way in order that I would hold fast to Your goodness and mercy and see You face to face.  Help me become one in whom You are well pleased.  Amen.

“Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor” (1 Peter 2:17).

What can be added to this list?  It is a great list, but many do not do this.  Oh, there is respect in these things for some.  There is love for some.  There is honor if it is a Caesar that you admire.  But these things are decided by the self and not applied in the whole.  Scripture is teaching us that uniformity is important.  We do not get to choose who our neighbor is.  Everyone means everyone and not just a few.

Lord, I may not like it when it feels like You are taking it to the extreme; but I am the one who is extreme.  I want to pick and choose.  But I am not You, who makes all the rules.  Dear Lord, lead me out of this mess to live in You.  Guide me out of my desire to be in control in order that You would be the One who leads my life.  I do not know how, but You do.  You must be the One who leads me.

Lord Jesus, You taught us that You did nothing on Your own but spoke the words the Father gave You to speak.  So also, lead me to not try to figure out my own words, but  speak the words the Father gives me to speak.  Lead me to learn what it means to always be faithful.  Lead me to learn how to love everyone, being honorable and always loving in all circumstances.  Amen.

“Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves” (1 Peter 2:16).

How often are you influenced to do what the world wants you to do because you do not want them to see you in the freedom Christ has given you?  If you smoke or drink that simply means that you smoke or drink.  But there are all kinds of attitudes surrounding these things.  Live knowing that you are always in the Lord’s presence.  Not in fear, but in truth that you do what is pleasing to Him.

Lord, You know those places where I do these things.  Guide me, dear Lord, to see them as they are and come into the place where it is You whom I seek to please.  Keep me from the incessant conformity of this world so that I may spend my time and energy being conformed to the image of Christ.  Lead me, Lord, in the way of truth.  You have redeemed me and I am Yours now and forever.

Lord Jesus, You know how constraining the wickedness of this world is.  I struggle each day to live in the freedom You give me.  Guide me dear Lord so that I would not be bound by the things of this world but transformed by the renewing of my mind in You.  Lead me according to Your mercy to not use my liberty for sordid gain, but to learn to become like You in all things.  Amen.