Volume 2 Post/Email 11 – 1 Peter 2:5
The final 2 posts on the concept of spiritual formation will be from First Peter Chapter 2.
1 Peter 2:5 reads, "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."
In post 3 we reflected on the first three verses of this chapter and growing as spiritually newborn babies.
Likewise, verse 5 implies gradual spiritual growth.
Our spiritual life is indeed, a journey. We "are being built" into a spiritual house.
I believe the tense of the verb is a present participle, indicating a continual reality.
The Christian life is always to be a "present tense" matter.
We have the daily privilege of being holy priests, and living before a loving and holy God.
We have the daily honor and opportunity to express love to God in worship.
How much of our lives involves any sense of God?
If we model Jesus, we will not compartmentalize our lives into the secular and spiritual.
Therefore, we should not think this verse applies only to spiritual acts like prayer. Intentionally befriending and doing good to others during the day, because of a heart oriented towards God and his will, is also spiritual.
Hebrews 13:16 reads, "And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased."
We should not reduce spiritual living, worship, and honoring God to a minimum amount of occasions. We should not think God is only interested in when we pray, study, etc.
He is pleased when we go to work, and how we work. He can be pleased by a conversation we initiate with a co-worker. Perhaps God smiles as we initiate a friendly conversation with a child?
Maybe God is just as honored when we adults play and interact with the kids before a Wednesday night class as he is when we are singing in the auditorium?
Is God not glorified when we share a meal with our family? Is it not spiritual (of God, God-like) to devote some energy to helping a kid with their homework, or to coaching a team, or teaching music, or being involved in a camping trip?
When a wife or husband cooks the meal for the evening [usually when we guys step up it's with the grill 
], can that not be with a godly, grateful, generous heart?
Are these matters supposed to be in a spiritual (God) context or not?
Jesus honored the Father with a heart oriented to worshipping His Father and doing His will through the nitty gritty of daily life! When Jesus spent time with children, or enjoyed a meal with some adults, or spent time in a boat with the disciples, these were also spiritual moments!
When the routine of our day is not spiritual is if we choose to not allow the heart, will and Spirit of God to impact certain moments of our schedule.
As we experience spiritual transformation into the likeness of Jesus, our eyes become more aware and astute to the spiritual realities and opportunities of the present moment.
It may be a moment to relax, to read, to sing, to pray, to visit, to eat, to play, etc. - but all in God's presence joyfully living our life with Him.
Am I missing something?
-Brian
