“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 2 Peter 1:3-4 

The Apostle Peter writes that because of Christ, we have been granted “all things that pertain to life and godliness” and “his precious and very great promises.” Have you ever wondered what God’s promises are to us? Looking at 2 Corinthians 6:16-18, we see examples:

As God has said:

“I will live with them
    and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
    and they will be my people.”

17 Therefore, “Come out from them
    and be separate,
says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing,
    and I will receive you.”

18 And, “I will be a Father to you,
    and you will be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty.”

God wants to dwell among His people. He doesn’t just want any relationship with us- He wants close relationship with us! So God gives us the assurance of His promises to encourage us to dwell more deeply with Him. But for God to dwell more deeply in us, He calls us to separate ourselves from “unclean things.” God is holy and righteous, so He cannot dwell in a dirty place. If we are painfully honest, it is not hard to see many unclean places in our hearts. Perhaps they are parts of our past we want to keep hidden or things in our present that we turn a blind eye toward. We find ourselves in a predicament because we have no means of making ourselves clean on our own before God. Yet Jesus made a way for relationship through His righteousness by His death and resurrection! Because of Jesus, we have assurance that we are cleansed, and God dwells in us- but we get to respond in faith to believe God’s promises and give our “unclean things” over to Him. Let’s give thanks that God is a God who desires closeness with us, and that He has made the way for ever increasing relationship throughHis precious and very great promises that are ours in Jesus!

Questions for Processing:

1. In what ways have God strengthened you to “escape from the corruption in the world” (like past sins)? Are there ways that you currently do not desire to turn away from sin? 

2. What are some of “his precious and very great promises” that you can cling to, receive power for transformation through, and give thanks for? 

Prayer:
Dear LORD, You alone are holy and righteous. It amazes me that You would even want to dwell with people who are sinful and broken. When I see other people’s sin, I naturally want to recoil from them and cut them off. But You draw near to us in the midst of our brokenness, You take the penalty for our sins, so that we can become Your sons and daughters. You love us simply because we are Your creation, not because we can offer You anything. Thank you that You have made the way for a restored relationship with You, and that You give us Your presence. Please help me to treasure it more deeply. 

By Yiyi Yao