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.

This verse and the ones following should go a long way toward giving any believer the right perspective on whatever it is they’re going through, however unpleasant it might be at the moment. Peter starts with praising God, which is a good place for anyone to start! Then he reminds us, starting here and going on for several verses, just how gracious God has been to us. He bases what he says on the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which is a historical fact that he witnessed personally, so he writes with total assurance. Peter’s first letter is the only place apart from John 3 that we find direct reference to being born gain, or new birth. Peter was probably present that night when Nicodemus came to see Jesus, and the Holy Spirit probably brought Jesus’ words back to his memory many times. From his own experience of going from being an impetuous boaster to being a rock-solid leader of the Church, Peter doubtless thought being born again was a very appropriate expression! But what he said we have been born into is what grabs my attention this morning. The hope that we have in Christ is a living thing that can’t be killed by physical circumstances, or even by physical death. Our hope is based on Jesus Christ, who was crucified, buried, and yet rose from the grave, and 40 days later ascended into heaven, where He is seated at the right hand of the Father, (Luke 22:69) interceding for us. (Hebrews 7:25) Because He will never die, our hope will never die!

This is indeed a glorious reality, and yet my own grasp of it sometimes wavers. Like those to whom I minister, sometimes I am distracted by strictly temporal things. Our bodies, for example, can be very demanding of attention! I am never to belittle physical or emotional suffering, but even in the middle of it I am to strive to keep the focus on Jesus Christ. When it’s not so easy to do for myself, I certainly need the help of the Holy Spirit in assisting others in doing it! However, the rewards are immense. When we can indeed keep our focus on Christ, then His peace and joy flood us and carry us through all the junk that surrounds us. I am to be an example of that to other believers, not putting on a false front but rather being honest about my own struggles, but still demonstrating that it is possible for us to abide in Christ whatever our circumstances might be. My own struggles should teach me how to help and encourage others. If I am faithful to my Lord, then He will be faithful to use me to bless others.

Father, thank You for this glorious reality. Thank You for the privilege of visiting my friend yesterday after his cancer surgery. Thank You that he is not only a friend, but a brother in Christ. I do pray that he and his wife would be powerfully strengthened, comforted and encouraged by Your Holy Spirit, not just for their sakes but as a witness to the many who know and love them, so that this may result in a beautiful harvest in Your kingdom, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!