“Although the whole earth is mine, 6 you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” Exodus 19 5-6
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9
What is our calling as Christians? Yes we are all unique and individually equipped but there is an overall broad calling that we all possess. That is, in this fallen world, we are to be a Kingdom or community of priests. We are to be interceders for each other and the world in which we live.
A Kingdom of priests seeks the lost, broken, hurting, offended against and sorrowing, and then as the hands and feet of God ministers to them. We hold them up to God but are also God’s means of bringing healing and hope.
The tragedy is that the church is too often known for hypocrisy, crusades, offences against children, obscene wealth, and … the list goes on. In history, the church has been most potent when it has sided with the poor, broken and helpless: with slaves, children and abused workers in the industrial revolution, with starving and orphaned, widowed and fatherless.
Christ brought salvation and bread; Physical healing and spiritual healing, words and actions. His Kingdom/community is called to do the same. The priest’s role is in the here and now yet at the same time pointing to God’s eternal Kingdom.
If many Christians and churches have lost their way, we can do no better than revisit and revision our task as a Kingdom of priests; being, what Christ modelled for us.
Travels from Ur 