Verse: 1 Peter 1:8-9
8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Series: 1 Peter

Devotion:
How do you read those verses? What does Peter’s voice sound like to you? I love these verses because I hear Peter like a friend cheering them on, in awe of what he’s seeing. As we read yesterday, Peter mentions some grief and trials they’re enduring. And then in these verses he follows that up by telling them the good he’s seeing in them to encourage them. He’s not telling them something to do, it’s like he’s reporting what he sees in them so they can see it too.

I hear him all excited, “Look at you…you didn’t get to see Jesus in person like some of us, YET you still love him. And you still don’t see him now, YET you believe in him. Do you know how amazing that is?! And that inexpressible joy and sense of God’s glory you’re experiencing in the face of so much that’s hard and unknown? You’re experiencing the gift of your salvation NOW. That’s God’s Spirit in you.”

Maybe you also need to hear Peter’s voice this morning excitedly reminding you of how amazing it is that you believe in and love Jesus. Maybe you need to be reminded that God sees you and is cheering for you. It reminds me of the verse in Hebrews that talks about the “great cloud of witnesses” that we’re surrounded by as we run our race with perseverance, with our eyes fixed on Jesus. Similar to Peter, I imagine them cheering for us, with their hands cupped around their mouths, shouting out what we need to be reminded of…”Remember our God is faithful to the end…He’s the same today as he was yesterday…you’re not alone…I see you trusting Him…keep running”.

Prayer:
Jesus I pray that our hearts would be encouraged this morning because we know you see us. We know you see both our pain and joy, the way we love you and are trying to trust you. Help us to hear the excitement in your voice as you look at us and remind us of what is true. No matter how crazy our life may look, may we experience the gift of your inexpressible joy through your Spirit in us.

Author: Christine Robinson