Series:NewNew
1 Peter 1:3 ESV
John 21 Reference
Numbers 6:24-25 ESV
James 1:17 ESV
Jeremiah 17:7-8 ESV
Luke 6:36 ESV
Matthew 5:7 ESV
1 John 3:1 ESV
1 John 4:19 ESV
1 Peter 1:3-9 ESV
Colossians 3:1 ESV
I must confess that even though I’ve been a writer since the first time I pinned a story in elementary school, writing about God is always and forever very difficult.
I think that’s because even though we have inspired scripture written centuries ago it seems difficult for me to effectively tell about the wonder and grace of God. At different times in my life I have felt it, I have dreamed about it, and when I meditate I experience it but mere words do no do justice to the real love and grace of God, Father Son and Spirit.
In 1 Peter 1:3 Peter wrote, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”
Peter knew God’s mercy. He remembered his failings and the redemption of God that followed. He was the disciple Mary Magdalene ran to the morning she found the empty tomb (John 20). Peter ran to the other disciples to tell them Jesus was not in the tomb.
After, Peter (with the other disciples) saw Jesus by the Sea of Galilee. It was Peter Jesus singled out asking him, “do you love me?” three times and finally commanding Peter, “then feed my sheep.” (John 21).
Jesus knew what Peter was capable of…
Jesus knew even then 2000 years later we would read about the blessings. God knows we need to see the beauty in everyday life; we may need to look for it, but it is there.
Throughout scripture we’ve been told to be grateful for our blessings…even in difficult times because that is where we learn to stretch and grow our faith.
We have learned when we are feeling “down” we can ask God to inspire us with a blessing. Some of us have learned that blessing might not be what we expect expect but it will be what we need.
Many of us have repeated and even memorized Aaron’s blessing so we can turn to it when we feel alone. We read that Aaron told Israel in Numbers 6:24-25,
“The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.”
In difficult times when we’ve asked God for a gift and when it came we were confused because it wasn’t a gift that made life easy and fun. James 1:17 tells us, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”
We had to learn that God sees the big picture of our lives and God knows what is “best” for us.
In those days we had to learn to trust God. As the weeping prophet wrote in Jeremiah 17:7-8, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord.
He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”
We learned to give mercy because God is merciful.
In Luke 6:36 we are told, “Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.”
And as the disciple wrote when we give we will receive mercy in return. Matthew 5:7, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.”
Many of us have learned that receiving God is no just a one time thing. We actually receive God every day when we turn to God. When we are young we might ask, does that make sense? But as we grow in the faith we come to understand John’s words :
1 John 3:1, “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.”
1 John 4:19, “We love because he first loved us.”
By faith we believe through the Resurrection we are united with God; Romans 6:5-6 says, “For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.”
By faith we begin to understand that while we do not see Him we know the love and joy of the Spirit of God. In I Peter 1:3-9 we learn, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”
Paul’s words to the church in Colossae help us to look to Jesus when the things of this world don’t seem to make sense. In Colossians 3:1 he wrote, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.”
The deal is that every day in every way when we become tired or confused we don’t need to come up with flowery words or creative arguments. When we’ve turned to God, God is in us. God is around and beside us.
We don’t need to make it difficult.
We simple need to receive God’s help and encouragement.
I am reminded of that today and every day. All I need to do is turn and learn.
Spiritual Practice: Turn to God
Wait for God and learn.
In God, Deborah
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