A Stronger Me In My Own Existence

As I delve into the first chapter of 1 Peter, I am struck by the profound enthusiasm and deep love for Jesus Christ that emanates from Peter’s words. There’s a genuine, radiant joy in his message as he speaks of our “living hope” through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. By God’s great mercy, we have been granted salvation and born again into this hope, redeemed through Christ’s sacrifice. As it says in 1 Peter 1:3 (ESV), “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.”

This chapter transports me back to the Peter we encounter in the Gospels—a man whose faith journey was marked by both fervent devotion and human frailty. I recall the impulsive Peter who stepped out in faith to walk on water toward Jesus, only to doubt and begin sinking when he took his eyes off the Lord (Matthew 14:28-31). I think of the heartbroken Peter who, in a moment of fear, denied knowing Jesus three times before the rooster crowed (Matthew 26:69-75). Yet, despite these stumbles, Jesus saw Peter’s potential and entrusted him with a foundational role in His ministry, declaring, “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18, ESV). And after the resurrection, Jesus tenderly restored him, commissioning Peter to “Feed my sheep” (John 21:15-17, ESV), affirming his calling.

In 1 Peter, I sense a transformed, mature disciple—one of the original twelve—who has grown immensely in his love and faith through trials, the Holy Spirit’s guidance, and unwavering trust in Christ. His voice resonates with passion throughout the chapter, urging obedience to the truth and sincere love for one another from a pure heart (1 Peter 1:22). He reminds us that we are born anew not through perishable things, but “through the living and abiding word of God” (1 Peter 1:23, ESV). Drawing from the prophet Isaiah, Peter contrasts the fleeting nature of human life with the eternal truth of God’s word: “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever” (1 Peter 1:24-25, ESV). And that word, he emphasizes, is the good news proclaimed to us—the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Peter’s fervor tugs at my own heartstrings, stirring a desire to let the good news within me shine brightly and radiate outward. It challenges me personally to share the story of Jesus with others, living out this living hope in my daily life, just as Peter did after his own redemption. May we all, like Peter, grow from doubt to declaration, allowing God’s enduring word to transform us and overflow into the world around us.


God Bless 🙏💕

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