Follow His Footsteps

Lenten Devotions Day 5

Scripture Reading: 1Peter 2:13-24

For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in His steps.

Have you ever watched a young child following their Dad or Mom through the snow? They try to match the footsteps of the adult, but their little feet are much smaller and often fail to keep up with the long strides. They may even get frustrated trying to match those giant steps.

Our walk with God can feel that way at times. His path is perfect and we seem so small and incapable. But He does not ask for perfection. He simply asks that we follow in His steps. We can only be made perfect through Him. “For our sake He made Him to be sin for us who knew no sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. 2Corinthians 5:21

As we study the suffering of our savior, we see the mental, emotional and physical suffering He endured during His ministry. To this we have been called – to suffer for doing good. “When we do what is right and suffer for it, patiently endure it, this finds favor with God” 1Peter 2:20” Suffering is necessary for us to grow in godliness. But Jesus gave us an example to follow. Let us study His response to suffering and follow in His steps.

Personal Application Ideas:

• Select a fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control). Watch how Jesus responds to suffering using that fruit. Find ways to apply it to situations in your life.
• Consider this: do you expect life to be easy as a Christian? Or do you realize trouble will still be a part of human life? If we accept this life is not our own but that our mission is to glorify God – how can our reaction to suffering work towards that mission?

Prayer:

Dear Lord, thank you for giving me your example to follow. May I walk in your steps and be patient in times of tribulation, responding to others with kindness and self-control and may I love others as you have commanded. Be with me each day as I continue to grow. Amen