Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to His great mercy, He has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and into an inheritance that is imperishable, uncorrupted and unfading kept in heaven for you. 1 Peter 1:3-4
My words…
Praise
Although I do not dwell on death, I am surrounded by its reminders: road kill, cemeteries, flags at half mast. As sad and (at times) unpleasant as death is, it provides the best contrast to what is living. We go to great lengths to save a life. We teach our children CPR. AED machines are attached to the walls of every public building. We grasp life like the precious jewel it is. Where does this come from? You, of course. Each of Your children is a special soul worth saving. So, when I read about a living hope, hope with a pulse, I know it’s from You! This living hope is the antithesis of a hope that is dead (no hope). It’s a hope that nourishes, sustains, grows. When I fail You, hope lifts me up and sets me on a higher plane. When I allow myself to forget how You have blessed me, hope reminds me. Hope leads me to open my Bible. Hope is the reason I pray. Hope is there to greet me when I wake. When Your resurrected body drew its first miraculous breath, living hope was born. It busted out of the grave along with You, and it hasn’t stopped providing the very best reason for living, and dying.
Prayer for us
This past year has been a hope-zapper for nearly everyone on this planet. In truth, I’m weary of thinking about it; yet, it lingers. Sickness, death, shortages, riots in the streets, confusion and distrust. It’s enough to make one lose hope of ever having hope. So I ask Your Spirit to shine forth in living hope like a beacon on this dark world and send the Evil One scuttling. Bring us back to life with hope for a future with You.
Forgive me
Climbing suicide rates. Economic uncertainty. Dwindling morality. Doom and Gloom. Day after day. Forgive me when I allow the measly predictions of humans to overshadow Your divine plans for this world.
Thank You for living hope. Five very inadequate words of gratitude for such a gift. It was all because of Your resurrection, which was all because of Your death, which was all because of Your love for me. Thank You for accepting my thank You. You always do.
More praise
I am happy and relieved that my inheritance doesn’t spoil, rust or fade. It’s indestructible! But what’s even more glorious is that You are keeping it for me. For me! Like a treasure in a hope chest. A living hope chest.
