Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
"Good News When You're Stranded"
April 22, 2020
And if you call on Him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding Word of God; for "All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower fails, but the Word of the Lord remains forever." And this Word is the good news that was preached to you.
This is one of those passages that if I were stranded on a desert island and could have only a few treasured words from the Bible, perhaps some fragile manuscript fragment from God's Word, this text from 1 Peter might well be it.
In life's difficult and uncertain times (like when we're stranded on a desert island), we long for something solid to stand on. Here Peter delivers, as he reminds his readers of the God we serve and the love He has for us.
How wonderful that now, centuries later, God has the apostle Peter—one of Jesus' inner circle—speaking to us. Peter walked with Jesus and spent time regularly with the Savior. They were close. Peter knew Jesus probably as well as any human who spent time with Him could.
And from this deep conviction, Peter, inspired by the Holy Spirit, drew from personal experience his faith and confidence of who Jesus was—both the Son of Man and the Son of God. From this fisherman of Galilee, we have "good news" of the first order.
No longer lost in the futile ways of our forefathers, we have been redeemed, "ransomed," set free from God's righteous and impartial judgment. And how do we know this redemption is complete? Because the unblemished Lamb of God's own blood has been mercifully spilt on our behalf. He is the One who lived before the world's foundation. He is the One God raised "from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God."
God has done it all for us and done it beautifully. Though we quickly fade from this world, shrinking like frail grass, God's Word remains constant (see also John 1:1-17).
And that's some pretty good news when you're stranded on a desert island.
THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, Your Word stands forever. Remind us of that truth, and keep us close to Jesus. Amen.
Reflection Questions:
1. Do you have a go-to Scripture verse that uplifts and inspires you? What is it?This Daily Devotion was written by Paul Schreiber. Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
2. How has your faith in Jesus as Savior "ransomed" you from the "futile ways" of your ancestors?
3. Has your perception of your life changed over the years? Are there areas where you are not as active and vital as you once were?
Do you have a go-to Scripture verse that uplifts and inspires you? What is it?
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