40 Days of Prayer – Day 37

SCS StudentDevotional Blog

Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. 1 Peter 2:13-17

In 1 Peter 2:13-17, Peter is telling the original audience to obey the authorities set in place by God to rule over them. Obviously we are not a part of this original audience, but since the Bible is timeless, this also applies to us. I know that sometimes I do not obey or want to obey this verse, and I am sure this also applies for some of those in the audience. Take the quarantine for example, when the COVID-19 virus spread into America in early March 2020, almost the entirety of America was immediately shut down, and people were instructed to stay in their homes. At first, I was very unhappy with this, because I didn’t like online school, and I wasn’t able to see my friends. It took a great deal of courage and strength to obey the command set in place by the government, courage and strength that I would have never had on my own. Where has God given you strength and courage in your life? I can also thank God for keeping the Stillwater community safe from COVID-19 deaths, and I thank him that he has given me and others the courage and strength to push through these hard times. I hope this devotional has encouraged you to remember that our leaders are under God’s control, and everything he does through them has a plan and a purpose, and he will give you strength and courage to persevere through whatever you are struggling with.

Sophomore Simeon Lassinger

Prayer Focus:

  • Health of the SCS community
  • Thank Jesus for modeling true humility as he washed the disciples’ feet. Ask him to give you a servant’s heart.
  • Psalm 16:1-2:  Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
        I have no good apart from you.”