How to Conduct Yourself in Exile

Daily Devotional – Friday, May 12, 2023
And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile.
1 Peter 1:17 (ESV)

On countless occasions, the Israelites went into exile. Whenever they rebelled against God and worshipped foreign gods, the children of God would end up in captivity. Consequently, they had to learn how to conduct themselves in exile until God would allow them to return home.

Fidelity to God in While in Captivity

While physically living in foreign territory, they were to remain spiritually connected to God and the motherland. They were to preserve their native culture as much as possible. Daniel, Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego demonstrated this principle when they rejected the Babylonian diet, as narrated in Daniel chapter 1.

Exile was not supposed to uproot divine teachings and heritage in believers. Indeed, those who remained faithful to God in captivity (and / or their offspring) would later comprise a remnant that would return home to establish a new era of righteous living.

Living Reverently in Exile

Centuries later, Apostle Peter wrote a letter to a group of Christians (most likely of Jewish heritage), living in exile because of persecution. His intention was to encourage them to remain faithful to Jesus while in exile, while under the threat of persecution.

Peter stated, “And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile.” (1 Peter 1:17). The initial meaning of this verse is that Christians should live godly lives in their lands of residence, just as God’s people had done before the birth of Jesus.

Dwelling in Temporary Abodes

The second implication of this verse is that Christians are sojourners on earth and should leave reverently because God has called them to be holy (verses 16 to 17). In other words, they are in this sinful earth temporarily hence, they are to model the character of the heavenly kingdom they seek to inherit.

In essence, our surroundings should not be excuses to lead ungodly lives. Rather, we are to represent Jesus wherever He has placed us, even in uncomfortable situations. Holiness is a garment we put on permanently, and not one to be worn depending on the societal ‘weather’.

How to Conduct Yourself in Exile

Further, like Abraham and the patriarchs, we must remember always that we are strangers and sojourners in a foreign land, awaiting the city that God has built for us. (Hebrews 11:8-16). We are in the world but we do not belong to the world. (John 17:16).

Do your thoughts, character and speech reveal you are a sojourner on earth? Do you still retain and propagate the culture of the kingdom you belong to and the city you are looking forward to dwell in? Are you conducting yourself with reverence while living in exile on earth?

Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, empower me to conduct myself with reverence in my earthly exile and prepare me to live with You forever.