Joy! - I Peter 1
Wow. Was anyone else uplifted by this chapter? God knows it's exactly what I needed for my usual Monday morning lul. Just look at verse 2:
2 God the Father chose you long ago, and the Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed Jesus Christ and are cleansed by his blood.May you have more and more of God's special favor and wonderful peace.
Peter is writing to Christians ("God's chosen people") here...and the good news: we have nothing to do with it. 1) God chose us. 2) The Spirit made us holy. 3) That's why we obey Jesus Christ. 4) That's why He cleanses us by His blood. And, 5) We can have more and more of God's special favor and wonderful peace!
I dont' know about you, but that's got me fired up. Praise God! "We" are not even mentioned in there anywhere. We can't screw it up - do you see that? Satan would love to make us think that we can, but because of Jesus, we have won the victory.
Okay, you ask - if I have won the victory, why does it seem to difficult, this Christian life. Why the heartache, why the depression, why the temptation, why the failures, why the pain?
Peter continues:
6 So be truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead, even though it is necessary for you to endure many trials for a while. 7 These trials are only to test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold – and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold. So if your faith remains strong after being tried by fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. 8 You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him, you trust him; and even now you are happy with a glorious, inexpressible joy.
I will be the first one to admit, gents, that joy is something I have not been associated with much lately...and, "happy with a glorious, inexpressible joy?" well - I long for that. It's easy for me to let "things" get to me and rob me of my joy. However, today as I read, I am again reminded how little I have to do with "the big picture." And, that is:
1) God chose me. 2) The Spirit made me holy. 3) That's why I obey Jesus Christ. 4) That's why He cleanses me by His blood. And, 5) I can have more and more of God's special favor and wonderful peace!
Thank You, Lord!
peace!
e
