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Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By 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, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith—being more precious than gold that, though perishable, is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. (1 Peter 1:3-9)
This passage, like a life lived in Jesus, has many wonderful words and experiences: Mercy, new birth, living hope, resurrection, inheritance, protection, power of God, salvation, rejoicing, genuineness of faith, praise, glory, honor, love, belief, rejoicing (catch that that's here twice?), indescribable and glorious joy, and salvation (twice again!). A life lived in Jesus is full of blessings and surprises; yes, some trials and times of challenge may come our way, but with Jesus at our side, we overcome and are more than conquerors in all things. The writer of this short passage is filled with excitement for knowing and having accepted Jesus. He found, as the list shows, every one of those experiences and blessings almost in the order through which he shares them: Mercy, as a new believer finds quickly, that God is ready to forgive our sins. New birth comes to the one who asks Jesus to be Lord and Savior of their life, and quickly find that to think and live spiritually is what makes faith stronger and more beautiful. Living hope is having not just hope, but a hope that speaks, nay, sings to us as we travel life with our Lord and Savior. A living hope is a hope not easily taken from us, for in it we see the One who is the Hope of the world, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. This season shows the believers what resurrection is and how it applies to our lives. The inheritance we have is that eternal life that will be ours as we live our lives into the transition of this life into the next. Read the list again and again, and receive what it says to you. But, let's focus on two words that show up in this passage: Rejoicing and salvation. Rejoicing is that inexplicable joy that comes to the soul from the Spirit, and bubbles up in us in marvelous ways. Salvation of our souls is the Spirit's working in us, taking away our sins, and sealing us for Christ in the new, living relationship we should have with God through Jesus. Any wonder the writer would list these two words twice?
May the glorious joy of the Lord be yours today in those ways and many more!
PRAYER: Loving God, thank You for the joy of Jesus. May the Living Hope found in Him be found in this dear reader. May your guide and bless *|FNAME|* through whatever comes their way today. I pray rich and wonderful blessings for *|FNAME|*, in Jesus' name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day of living hope in Jesus!
Eradio Valverde
