Living Hope
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead" (1 Peter 1:3).
The tone of the opening of Peter's letter is full of praise to God, encouraging the believers to keep their hopes up! After expounding on our great salvation and the future that awaits believers, Peter declares in verse 13, "Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1:13).
Believer, the message is clear: Set your hope fully on Christ. Get your hopes up!
Here are 3 things worth remembering to keep your hopes up.
1. Keep remembering the gospel good news of our crucified and risen Savior.
As believers, no matter what we're going through, we have tremendous hope in and through our living Savior, Jesus Christ. Because He lives, we shall live! It brings to mind the famous song, "Because He lives, I can face tomorrow! Because He lives, all fear is gone! Because I know He holds the future, and life is worth living just because He lives!"
2. Keep remembering what God has promised you for the future.
Peter continues, you're born again "to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time" (1 Peter 1:4–5). We have a great future promised to us. Not only this, but God is keeping our inheritance for us as He guards us by His power. He promises that He will keep us until the day of Christ, bringing the good work of salvation that He began in us to completion (Philippians 1:6).
3. Keep remembering how God uses trials and rejoice.
Peter continues, "In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1:6–7). We're promised that trials are temporary and that God uses them for a purpose. We can rejoice no matter what we're going through because of our excellent living hope in Christ.
In addition to continually remembering our great hope, we must always be ready to share the reason for our hope (1 Peter 3:15).
Pray that God would use you this week to be hope to those in your life who don't have the hope of Christ. We have a great living hope, and the world needs to hear the gospel's good news of how God can save sinners!
Max Dalrymple