The Living Hope
(NCV) 1 Pet 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In God’s great mercy he has caused us to be born again into a living hope, because Jesus Christ rose from the dead. 4 Now we hope for the blessings God has for his children. These blessings, which cannot be destroyed or be spoiled or lose their beauty, are kept in heaven for you. (NIV) 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire —may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Peter, whom Jesus called the rock long before he became so steadfast, writes this letter to the people of the dispersion. The tone of this epistle suggests God’s people are to be travelers on this earth, whose final destination is in heaven.
I think of the song “Poor Wayfaring Stranger,” and wonder how closely we, in 21st century America, truly identify with Peter’s first century audience. After all, most of us are not merely visitors but have well established roots to our communities. Yet Peter reminds us our true reward is in heaven.
Do we remember what it feels like to set our mind, and our heart, on heaven? When our focus shifts from being earthbound to “looking for a city,” our hope moves from the earthly to the eternal.
May we each know, believe and understand that Jesus is truly our living hope and once we grab hold of that wonderful truth, may we begin to act like it.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
- Posted in: Blogs
Seeking Holiness 