READING: 1 Peter 1
First Peter gives us a divine perspective on living as aliens and strangers in a world that is increasingly hostile to the gospel of Christ. Each of its five chapters alludes to suffering as a very real part of the Christian experience. This letter provides us with counsel and comfort in times of adversity and affliction by pointing us to the living hope we have in our relationship with Christ.
This epistle presents the grace of God in our salvation and uses this as the foundation for an attitude of submission in the context of suffering for Christ’s sake. It begins with a portrait of salvation in terms of the believer’s future hope of an imperishable inheritance (1:3–5), the joy that is available in spite of present trials (1:6–9), and the predictions of this salvation in the past (1:10–12).
Prayer
Lord, I bless You, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to Your great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an imperishable inheritance.
Meditation passage: verses 3–5, 8–9, 13, 22–23