Peter’s word, like a bullet fired from a gun, bursts forth immediately from the first stroke of his quill. No gentle greeting or light conversation, Peter drives to his point right away. We are chosen by God, graced with an inheritance that cannot spoil, preserved in heaven for us. In this we can rejoice, even though right now life is tough and griefs come in all kinds of trials. In short, glory ahead, pain and trials in the present. All this for a reason, These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
God’s end game is that our faith maybe proved genuine.
That thought caught me off guard. So often my thinking and modern thinking believes what God cares about is that my life is good (American dream good), filled with all kinds of material blessings. I hear this on the radio and in many Christian books. It surrounds us. Peter’s opening culminating in verse 7 suggests that God is more interested in refining my (your, our) faith than giving us a ‘nice’ life this side of eternity. Heaven is our eternal reward. Temporally God is in the business of refining and strengthening our faith so that when Jesus is revealed, our faith will prove itself to be genuine and real…
I have to process this thought more deeply but this radically alters life’s equation…
Do I have some thoughts to chew on today…
Lord God, give me space today to ponder this thought, to think through its connection to life and living. Lord, I love You and I receive from You whatever You choose to hand out. I trust that You have my best in mind; not merely my ‘best’ in this life but my forever best.
Lord, may my life result in praise and glory unto You. In and through Jesus, my Lord, I pray. Amen.
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