1 Peter 1:3-5 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.”
I am so grateful that God has made known to us the way to Heaven. He has given us a clear map and an understanding of how we are to live our life so that when the end of our time comes, we have the assurance and the confidence that Jesus Christ was uniquely qualified to bridge the gap between God and humanity and that through Him, He made a way for us to stand before a Holy God even though we are flawed, imperfect and unholy. One of the things the Lord has been challenging me to look at lately is my own selfishness, my insecurities and the lies I believe, not only lies about myself, but lies about God and His intentions for me. The one song that keeps cropping up in my life is “Good Good Father” by Chris Tomlin, where he says, “Love so undeniable, I can hardly speak. Peace so unexplainable, I can hardly think. As You call me deeper still in to love, love, love, You’re a Good Good Father; it’s who You are and I’m loved by You, it’s who I am.” I don’t know why it’s so difficult to believe.
Our salvation is grounded in God’s mercy. It is His act of compassion toward me despite my condition of sinfulness. God has given believers a new, spiritual life that enables us to live in an entirely different dimension than the one our physical birth allowed. He is our living hope; He is our dynamic confidence that does not end with this life but continues throughout eternity. At the end of David’s life, he wrote in Psalm 37:37, “Consider the blameless, observe the upright; a future awaits those who seek peace.” Isn’t peace what we are all looking for; isn’t that really what we all long for?
God didn’t say you may have to chase Me down, you may have to climb mountains in Tibet or walk barefoot over hot coals in Bali, you may have to explore the teaching of eastern mysticism or call a psychic hotline, and hopefully you’ll find Me. No, Our God has clearly told us how we can be forgiven of our sins, how we can have salvation and how we can be saved. In John 14:6, Jesus says "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Only one lifeline has been dropped from Heaven and it is Jesus Christ who is the only person to walk this earth who was both fully God and fully man. When He died on the cross for the sins of humanity, He brought us into the throne room of God where we are able to stand upright and righteous before our Good Father. Oh how I long to stand before my Savior and confidently look at Him and say, “You have been so faithful to me.” I have believed the lies the enemy of my soul has whispered into my ear, but God in His faithfulness never has strayed from His goodness toward me.
– Melody
