1 Peter 1

 

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 

Lord, I thank you for using Paul in such a mighty way for your kingdom.  It gives me such hope because he too was lost and You pursued him.  You choose us to belong to You.  Thank You for choosing me.

2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

So much packed into this verse Lord.  You know everything and everyone.  You provided a way for us through the Spirit to become like Your Son, holy and obedient.  We were redeemed, bought back by His great sacrifice.  I am so amazed!  Like Paul, I hope for Your grace and Your peace be showered on all believers. 

3 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,

Blessings upon blessings Lord.  I aspire to be a blessing to You.  I so appreciate Your mercy.  I have received it over and over again.  Being born again has given me such hope.  Your gift of eternal life spent with You is something I anticipate eagerly.

4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 

And how cleverly You arranged it, no one can steal my inheritance.  What a comfort to not have to worry about it.

5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 

Thank You Lord that I am protected by faith in You and that You who began a good work in me will complete it when Your Son comes to receive us unto Himself.

6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 

I do rejoice Lord even though this world with its tribulations, atrocities and evil can sometimes cast me down, You use these things to help me to understand You and my fellow humans better.

7 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. 

Lord, I desire my faith to be genuine and I want my faith to bring You praise, glory and honor when Your Son returns to this earth.

8 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, 

I have not seen Him, but I will.  I love Him because He is my bridegroom and I know Him through the Scriptures.  He causes me to rejoice and I feel His majesty.

9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 

To spend eternity with Him, loving Him and worshipping Him.

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 

They looked forward to the promise and I am able to look to look back to what He achieved at the cross but I also look forward to His return.

11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories.

There was suffering, but He is alive and seated at the right hand of You.  It has been glory since His resurrection.

12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look. 

Lord I thank you for Your faithful witnesses since humankind began who have testified of Your steadfast love for Your people.  To think even Your angels are curious about this marvelous mystery.

13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 

You want men and women of action and unwavering belief.  I want to be this kind of follower Lord.  My hope is set and I hasten Your Son's return.

14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 

Thank You for showing me the futileness of my former ways.  I am now only ashamed of former actions that did not glorify You.

15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 

I want to be holy like Your Son. I fail You sometimes but let me never give up in attempting to be better than yesterday.

16 since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." 

You've said it in Your Word, I believe it and will try to do so.

17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, 

I do call on You.  You are just and You are fair.  You know everything, our actions, thoughts and motivations.  I don't enjoy being exiled from Your physical presence but just knowing one day I will see You face to face, I will remain content in the meantime.

18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 

I was ransomed by something more precious.

19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.

I am overwhelmed that He would do that for me. 

20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 

How amazing that He endured what He did for mankind's redemption.

21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. 

Why would we put our faith and hope in anyone or anything else?

22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 

I only want to live by Your truth.  Help me to love and serve those made in Your image.

23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 

I hate to imagine what this earthly life would look like if I hadn't been born again and discovered the riches and depths of Your Word.

24 for "All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls,

The physical things of this earth do not last.

 25 but the word of the Lord remains forever." And this word is the good news that was preached to you.

But I will live by Your Word for the rest of my earthly days and in the age to come.  Amen.