One year I received a Christmas card with and image that occurs often in my heart, an image that appeared again today.
The card had the usual nativity scene, Mary, Joesph, Jesus, angels. Typical, yet not. The large angel protected the scene, almost dwarfed it from behind. The smaller angle, child like, bent down and looked into the face of Jesus as if to say: "Look! He became a baby just like He said. I can't hardly believe this. The King of the universe, God almighty, our Creator in the hands of frail humanity? Salvation and mercy must mean a lot to Him."
The living hope, salvation and mercy means a lot to Him. 1Peter starts out with 'In His great mercy He has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ form the dead. His birth starts this living hope. His resurrection closes the deal. Verses 3- 12 include these descriptions of this living hope.
- Great mercy and New Birth
- Resurrection from the dead
- A non perishable inheritance
- An inheritance that wont fade or spoil
- An inheritance kept in heaven, waiting for us
- A salvation shielded by God's Power
- A salvation that is ready
- A salvation revealed in the last time
Then in verse 6 it says that we are to greatly rejoice, though now for a Little while we may suffer grief in all kinds of trials. Trials that cause faith to grow, faith that God considers more valuable than refined gold, faith proven genuine, faith that results in praise, glory and honor when Christ is revealed. Puts perspective into things, right?
Great mercy, new birth, resurrection, inheritance, faith, it is all called a Living hope our salvation. That is what amazed the Little angel.
'A salvation that even angels long to look into 1 Peter 1:12.'
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