January 13, 2026
— John Stott · Source: The Lausanne Covenant: An Exposition and Commentary (Lausanne Occasional Paper 3, 1975), on paragraph 9
1 Peter 2:11 Dear friends, as strangers and exiles, I urge you to abstain from the desires of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.
Peter reminds us that we are sojourners and temporary residents, which is not a denigration of this life, but a correction of our position. Sojourners use the world without being bound by it; only those who settle place their security in possessions, relationships, and achievements. When I forget that I am merely passing through, I become anxious about loss, proud of what I have, and more easily succumb to the desires of the flesh. Recognizing my identity as a "stranger" teaches me to let go, to practice self-control, and to re-place my hope in eternity.
Lord, remind me that I am not the master of this world, but a sojourner in Your kingdom. Help me, in using all that You have entrusted to me, that my heart may not be possessed, nor my hands bound. Let me, knowing that I am but a sojourner, be able to restrain my desires, hold gain and loss lightly, and faithfully steward what You have given. May my heart not rest on earth, but find rest in You until the day I see Your face. Amen.