In times like these…

“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, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Pet 1:3-7)

This passage came to mind today in my personal study as I am going through various trials with the changing of our times. You may be experiencing some of those trials, as well. In his letter, Peter is encouraging Christians facing persecution and exhorting them to stand fast in their faith, when he speaks of the joys they (and we) have in Christ and the glories of their (and our) eternal inheritance. We are told that our God and Father caused us to be born again to a living hope – what comfort and confidence we have that our inheritance in Christ is imperishable, undefiled and unfading. We have no reason to fear or to fret knowing that by God’s power we are being guarded for a salvation to be revealed in the last days, and we rejoice in the great and merciful God we serve who has done all this by His power for His children.

Therefore, “…we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (Rom 5:3-5)

The hope we have is in our risen Savior, Jesus, and He is with us always (Matt 28:20).