1 PETER 1:3-8 – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory.”
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THEME OF THE DAY: HANG IN THERE, WE ARE ALMOST THERE. Ever experience the sounds of little people in the back of a car asking about 100 times, “Are we there yet?” Maybe a trip to relatives or an anticipated place on vacation, the voices of inquisitive impatience were clear – “I want to be there now. I am tired of riding.” If we listen closely, we may hear the same voice from ourselves or other weary Christians who are tired and exhausted in running the race of faith, fighting the good fight of faith, and just want to go home, to heaven to be with the Lord and freed from this hard life in a sin-cursed world. We hear, “Lord, I want to be there now. I am tired of the race and fight.”
In today’s scripture, the Apostle Peter is writing to some tried Christians. They are fighting the good fight, running the race, and feel the heaviness of trials as they do both. No doubt, these believers longed for what Peter points them toward – their inheritance in heaven that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. But he also points them to “the greater heaven” and that being the revelation of Jesus Christ; their face-to-face meeting with the One who saved them, kept them, and will welcome them home literally.
As we endure all that is required of us in following the Lord Jesus; the grueling calls to self-denial, self-control, self-discipline, and self-sacrifice, the inevitability of weariness comes upon us. Even our Lord Jesus knew the exhausting nature of doing the will of God. Recall His encounter with the woman at the well. The account opens describing Jesus’ physical condition after the long journey to the well – Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples), he left Judea and departed again for Galilee. And he had to pass through Samaria. 5 So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour (John 4:1-6). The word “wearied” does not mean a little tired and needing a nap. It is defined as “being exhausted, spent” and indicates great fatigue. Yet, the Lord served. He continued His mission. And so must we.
If we are to run the race successfully and fight the good fight to the end, keeping the end constantly in sight is necessary. Again in today’s scripture, Peter acknowledged these believers were grieved over their trials to include fatigue, but he reminds them of what lies ahead. He did so before he mentions their toil and after. First, he points them to the place of no more to toil – heaven, then he points them to the Person of heaven who will give them eternal rest – the Lord Jesus. For us? It is the same. Yes, acknowledge the difficulties of the Christian life, but hang in there, we are almost there – there being the place of heaven and Person of heaven, the Lord Jesus. By focusing on both, we will run well, fight to the finish, and hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
PRAYER: “Father, I praise You for a sure future in the land of no more difficulties and being with You.”
QUOTE: “Whether by death or our Lord’s coming, our time on earth is short. Yes, the journey is hard, but also short.”
In the affection of Christ Jesus,
Pastor Jim