Therefore, get your minds ready for action by being fully sober, and set your hope completely on the grace that will be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed. (‭1 Peter‬ ‭1‬:‭13‬ NET) But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may proclaim the virtues of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. You once were not a people, but now you are God’s people. You were shown no mercy, but now you have received mercy. (‭1 Peter‬ ‭2‬:‭9-10‬ NET)

Hi, Friends! I have been pondering how the passages we discussed at our last two meetings relate to each other. In September’s meeting, we discussed what it is that we pursue to stay inebriated (distracted, impaired, not fully-functioning) instead of sober. In October, we talked about this idea of being a royal priesthood. I think the two ideas are connected. If we keep ourselves drunk, we will be unable to live as priests — like Eli’s sons, who were supposed to care for people in the temple but instead abused all the privileges of their position. We have to be fully sober to effectively live out our calling as priests in all the places God is sending us. What are the priestly duties God is calling you to? How does your drunkenness keep you from stepping into these fully? How can you become more sober? What steps can you take into priestly action? I, for one, have become aware lately of how I am lulled to sleep by the daily rhythms of life. I am drunk on work, routine, and schedule. I become blind to what’s happening around me and find it unimportant to pray. I even believe that I have no time or energy to pray. I would like to use my daily routines (jujitsu-style) to help me wake up spiritually, pray, and engage with Jesus and with people. How ’bout you?

Love, Sue

For you all are sons of the light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of the darkness. So then we must not sleep as the rest, but must stay alert and sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But since we are of the day, we must stay sober by putting on the breastplate of faith and love and as a helmet our hope for salvation. (‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5‬:‭5-8‬ NET)