Celebrating GodCalled to Praise God
Live in the light of God (Isaiah 2:5) Make a Joyful Noise1 Peter 1:3-9
The MessageA New Life3-5 What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven—and the future starts now! God is keeping careful watch over us and the future. The Day is coming when you’ll have it all—life healed and whole. 6-7 I know how great this makes you feel, even though you have to put up with every kind of aggravation in the meantime. Pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine. When Jesus wraps this all up, it’s your faith, not your gold, that God will have on display as evidence of his victory. 8-9 You never saw him, yet you love him. You still don’t see him, yet you trust him—with laughter and singing. Because you kept on believing, you’ll get what you’re looking forward to total salvation.
For Reflection
Perhaps you have been frustrated in your faith practices. Sometimes righteousness feels too unachievable when your failures overshadow your periods of success. Yet, have you have forgotten the joy and the peace that validated your choice to follow Jesus Christ?
Don't be so hard on yourself. All of our faith journies are a series of wins and losses. When we feel unworthy and defeated, we should remember the joy and peace that follows the complete trust in God. Remember the paradoxes of the gospel. We can only find ourselves when we do not focus on ourselves. So focus instead on the confidence in God's promise of restoration. Laugh and sing and believe. God will restore your feeling of peace and joy.
PrayPray, confessing your doubts in your ability to maintain a consistent faith practice. Pray and assume that all things work for good in the Kingdom of God. Pray and find the peace and joy that is inherent in the Household of God.
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