This affirmation was taken from 1 Peter 1:13: Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. (NIV)
The New King James Version says to “rest your hope”. The King James Version says “hope until the end” for the grace found in the revelation of Jesus Christ.
What other hope is there? Where else would you rather place your hope? Can’t we test this against all other worldly experiences and beliefs?
Is there a greater gift than hope? I find it difficult at this moment to think of any great power than hope in our lives. What a gift God has given us in this. As Peter states in 1 Peter 1:3: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. (NIV)
A living hope. A living breathing hope. Love it! Can you just feel the “inexpressible joy” that Peter mentions in 1:8? “whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,” Dictionary.com defines inexpressible as “incapable of describing in words” this joy.
I can not describe this joy, this hope; all I can share is that it is. Praise be to God. Because of this joy Peter encourages us to be holy as Jesus was holy and for us to love all others. Where else are we given such hope in loving all others with a pure heart? We are saved by the grace of God(not our efforts), called to be holy as He is holy and to love all others with a pure heart.
That sounds like a great plan, doesn’t it? This word is promised here to endure forever. We are told that although our flesh will wither away, this hope, this joy and the word of the LORD will endure forever. Praise God!
Can you feel this hope? Have you experienced it? If you have never experienced it do you have any idea what is keeping you from it?
I pray we all may be born again as stated in 1:23 with this incorruptible seed through the word of God which will live and abide with us FOREVER. In that folks I find hope. Do you?
Do you have any other thoughts on 1 Peter? Can you share an affirmation you find there?
Tom Raines
Christian Affirmations 4 Life
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