Swell Our Hearts

 “Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to His great mercy, He has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and into an inheritance that is imperishable, uncorrupted, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.” ~1 Peter 1:3-4 HCSB

Peter had walked with the Lord.  As a fishermen he had a hard life, he was dependent on what water could provide.  Jesus came along and said, “Follow me” and Peter did.  He left everything to followed Jesus, we was now dependent on Christ and Christ alone.  He was there when Jesus feed the five thousand.  He was there for the Sermon on the Mount, was there through it all.  He was the healing, the raising of Lazarus from the dead, Peter saw them with his own eyes.  Peter was the one to identify Jesus as the Messiah and was told the church would be built upon him.  Yet when Jesus was arrested Peter openly denied him.  In fact before the rooster crowed he denied Jesus three times, just as Jesus told him he would do.  

Years later Peter wrote this letter, I’m sure every morning the rooster crowed Peter was reminded of that night of denial.  But Peter had wept and repented.  He was now filled with the Holy Spirit and a leader in the young Christian church.  He wrote this letter to encourage those who were suffering for the name of Christ.  He knew what it meant to suffer for Christ.  Peter penned these words of joy from a heart that was thankful to God.  He was thankful to the Father for the Son.  He knew through Christ he has a new birth into a living hope.  

This new hope is alive!  Because Christ is alive!  Christ died but on the third day rose again, because of that Peter says we have a living hope, because we are in Christ.  This living hope is awaiting us, it will never spoil, it can never be corrupted by sin, and it is unfading, it is God and His glory.  It is awaiting you!  This is hope!  This is what you woke up to under the grace of God today. It is what will carry you when life hits you hard.  This hope is what we cling to with our entire God given might.  This is amazing love, this is what we praise, and this is our God!  

Lord thank you for today!  Thank you for Father for your Son and thank you for the living hope I have in Him.  Lord swell this hope in my heart until it burst for joy for you and let everyone see it happen!!  Amen