Daily Devotionals

A Living Hope

Posted in Hope

“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 – 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.” 1 Peter 1: 3-5

When I was asked to write a piece on HOPE, I was a little overwhelmed because it seemed like such a broad topic. To help organize my thoughts, I decided to look up the verses on hope in the NIV Study Bible. It referenced 3 or 4 good verses, but as I read them all, 1 Peter 1: 3-5 grabbed my attention. These verses in 1 Peter have become some of my new favorite verses. 

I like the way Peter refers to hope as “a living hope”. Peter tells us that we have a new birth into a living hope through Christ’s resurrection. Not just a regular, standard hope, but a living hope! I love thinking of hope in Christ as a living hope. It makes me think of hope in a more active, purposeful force in my life. These verses encourage and assure us that, when we are in the midst of suffering, we have living hope that, through the resurrection, we will receive relief from our suffering with the promise of salvation. Verse 4 refers to salvation as an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade. What great hope that gives us in times of trouble!

The NIV Study Bible says that living hope is “not wishful thinking but a firm conviction, much like faith that is directed towards the future.” The resurrection of Jesus secured a new birth and living hope for us to also be resurrected and to inherit a beautiful future in heaven. That’s living hope!

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for the living hope that we find in you. We praise you for the assurance and gift of salvation that you have so generously given us. When we experience times of trouble, help us to seek your face and rest in the living hope that we have the promise of salvation. In your precious name we pray, Amen.

Submitted by Hannah Stiles