I have sepia-toned memories of wearing a pillowcase veil, grabbing a handful of dandelions, and marching my scrawny, little-girl legs down a grassy aisle, pretending to be a bride. To six-year-old me, the wait for my real wedding seemed impossibly long, but that didn’t stop me from actively hoping the day would eventually come. Nearly forty years of hindsight reveals that the gap between the hope and the reality was itty bitty. All too soon, I’d traded in cotton for tulle and weeds for roses in the blink of an eye.
So it is with the promises of Christ. Here, in the first chapter of 1 Peter, the apostle reminds us of our “living hope” (v.3). He doesn’t leave us guessing about what we’re hoping for. Through the resurrection of Christ, we have gained: rebirth and a salvation ready to be revealed, as well as an imperishable, undefiled, unfading inheritance (vv.3–5).
Like a little girl trying to picture her future groom, these promises can look a little fuzzy around the edges. Yes, Christ has saved us, and He is changing us even now, but so much of our hope is in what’s been stored up for us in the future, or as Peter reminds us, what’s being “kept in heaven” for us (v.4).
We have a storehouse of hope. It is the ultimate trust fund, a hope chest full of the promises of God. While we have yet to see our God face to face, we’ve been given the gift of faith to believe in Him, know Him, and love Him now. And we “rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy,” because even as we await His return, we are receiving the goal of [our] faith, the salvation of [our] souls” (vv.8–9).
Ours is a living and active hope in a living and active God, who has unfathomable blessings in store for His bride. And yet, there are days, lots of them, when our living hope seems to be doing little more than gathering dust. Peter alluded to this early on. We are the “chosen, living as exiles” (v.1). We are chosen, yet sometimes unpopular in this world, never quite at home here. Sometimes our very cells seem to groan for more.
When will we know what it’s like to be made new, fully shedding the broken version of ourselves? How long until the Lord shows His hand, demystifying the “salvation ready to be revealed in the last time”? (v.5). How much longer until we can open the hope chest to touch and feel our imperishable inheritance?
It will happen in the blink of an eye.
You are being guarded by God’s power through faith for salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. You rejoice in this, even though now for a short time, if necessary, you suffer grief in various trials (vv.5–6).
The gap between this present moment and future glory may seem impossibly large. Still we rejoice. Because we have a hope kept in heaven that can never be destroyed. One day we will trade in the suffering of these “various trials” for the many gifts God has tucked away for us.
It won’t be long now.
That is why, among the people of God, hope will always be alive and well.
Leave a Reply
106 thoughts on "A Living Hope"
This is so comforting when I feel like I don’t belong…I am reminded that I am a sojourner! So of course I don’t belong! It is my purpose to be “a light to the Gentiles” and have no fear! Thank you Lord Jesus for being with me always so I can do just that!
So thankful that we have hope in the midst of various trials in this life!
This is the Word of the Lord. Praise be to God!
An imperishable inheritance!
I am so grateful for our “hope kept in heaven”. More today than ever before! Thank you
We have a living and active hope in a living and active God! So thankful for this!
Amazing. Thank you. God Bless
This have me an interesting perspective on the current world crisis. The post few days I’ve been hopeless, thinking it’s never going to end. But I think I need to see this situation as practice for waiting for eternal glory: it feels far away, but the promise is true, so I just need to do my part, day by day, to try to prepare for the fulfillment of the promise. Hallelujah.
Loveeeed reading this/reminding myself of our eternal/unshakeable hope this morning
❤️
I needed to read this. I was filled with so much anxiety for the new year with all the natural elements. But this word/scripture helped me to be opeful for not only natural but also spiritually
So needed to read this, I was filled within such a lot of anxiety for this new year with all of the natural elements of life. But this word/scripture helped me to put my spiritual and natural hope in the Lord.
Very hope filled
Amen!
I love the message of Christ and how faith is spoken of in the New Testament – in terms of hope, praise, and promise.
I feel encouraged and comforted by these amazing passages
According to His abundant mercy, not our doing. He has given us more than we could ever deserve or imagine. Its a humbling thought.
“One day we will trade in the suffering of the various trials for the gifts God has tucked away for us.” I truly needed this today. This world, those around me and especially myself — so replete with sin, evil, the curse. Some days I can hardly bear to wait for Christ to come and reign in all his power. But “when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world”.
So much needed today!! I was crying literally just a few hours ago about the uncertainty for my future. God is so so good and gives us exactly what we need right when we need it!
This is so encouraging to me – any pain, any loss, any regret, any trial – will all be used to bring us closer to God and in the end, we receive an inheritance that is Imperishable, Undefiled, and Unfading. Wow.
This is so encouraging to me – any trial, any pain, any regret, any loss we have here on earth, will all be
We have been given a LIVING hope! Amen!
We have a great and precious hope!
This was so helpful I feel stirred God is doing something amazing in my life.
Praise the Lord
I love how the Scripture says:
“Concerning this salvation: the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you searched intently with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.” -Ephesians 1:10-12
I love this because not only do we get this amazing inheritance and salvation on account of our faith in Christ, but the men and women of faith that we read about in the Old Testament were looking for the grace that we have obtained. They “searched intently” for it, seeking it out in the most fervent ways, and God deemed it not worthy. Because His grace cannot be bought, it is not something that any act can earn. In the last verse it says “Even the angels long to look into these things”. Angels, the beings that are with God in Heaven want a piece of this grace that we are allotted because of God’s love and Jesus’s sacrifice. This is an awe-inspiring thought. One that makes me catch my breath in praise of the Holy One who loves me enough to grant me the inheritance that so many have looked and longed for.
Praise God!
Amen
I have been spending so much time fretting about what I can “do” to be a good Christian, worried about what I’m not doing, worrying about being perfect. I have come to the realisation that if I can just “be” with Jesus, the clarity will come. He will work through me. I just have to let Him in. These passages give me so much peace about Gods promises ✨
We have a hope in heaven that can never be outdone by the circumstances of this world. Hallelujah!
I also needed to hear of God’s grace today.
Thank you Jesus
My sister goes to this church!
❤️❤️
Since the beginning of time people have been trying to become saved from their sin. Thank you Jesus that we don’t have to earn this salvation, all we have to do is have faith in God.
I love the imagery of faith as a gift. So often I find difficulty with the idea of faith. It almost seems like magic! But imagining it as a gift from God simplifies it for me- it’s hard to understand bc it is a supernatural gift from a supernatural God. I love this.
I needed to hear this today.
How great is the mercy that we have received from God! How great is the promise that we have a living hope through Jesus. How great is the gift of faith God has given to us that we are called his children and have an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled and unfading. May we continue to strive to seek God through our trials, and rejoice in them knowing that we have a living hope, (even though this can be a real challenge at times). Remember all of God’s amazing promises – they are all yes in Christ!!
What a great reading! Something I wish I could tell my younger self when I would struggle with the idea of hope when in times of feeling lost and in the dark. Now I find that when I focus on the hope that is in this passage it is easier to handle things and it is easier to step out in my faith. My hope is eternal…. how amazing is that!
Ladies please pray for me, I’m in real need of a job,I’ve been unemployed for 2 years straight now and I’ve been applying and have
I’ve been there too, praying for a job and nothing comes through. But know that God has you in his hands. Waiting for His time can be frustrating, but God has a plan. I am praying for you that God would show you His peace and wrap you in his love and take care of you financially until your wait is over.
“Though you have not seen a him, you love him” (v. 8)
Wow that hit me. As a visual person, I always struggle with the fact that I can’t see him. But despite that, the love is still there. I love him, and even more than that, he loves ME. Also a reminder in a time of singleness that I don’t need anyone else’s love because the one who I can’t even see loves me more than anyone else ever could.
I will pray for the full sensation of hope to be revived in you.
Does anyone else have a hard time connecting to this idea of hope rn? I have been a Christian my whole life (28yrs), but I feel like in the last 5 I have lost the sensation of hope, and the ability to trust in it. I see these words, thoughts and verses often, surround myself with Christian community yet sometimes they still feel empty. Please pray that somehow these words redeem their meaning in my heart. I really want them to.
I do have days like that too, but we are wired to press on toward the goal! What helps me is turning off the voices of the world, news, magazines, social media, and only allowing influence into my life that represents my values. Sometimes that even means limiting certain relationships. It’s not easy but it keeps the flame of hope alive in me.
I hear you girl. I will be praying for both of us to realize the hope that I’m Christ in a deeper way.
i never put meaning behind the words “living hope”. Now I know what it means and how i can look at it with God.
He is our living hope. I love that the word living is added because He is real and still moving. Jesus is our living hope!
I’ve been lost and I have pushed God away so much and I’m trying to find my way back and I want to find my way back. This helped me realize through it all he is still there. I really needed this.
Praying for you Tiffany! I have pushed God away in the past and HE drew me back.
9 months later, I am lifting you up to our Father now. It can seem as though we drift from the Lord, but if we are truly His, nothing can separate us from His love and our eternity with Him. If we were never His to begin with, then only He and His Spirit can do the work of restoring our broken relationship back to Him. I’m praying that the Holy Spirit will fill every space in your being, and that God will do a mighty work!
We are given the gift of FAITH to believe in Him, know Him, and Love Him NOW!!!Praise the Lord.
Ours is a living and active Hope in a living and active GOD…I read and read this dovotional. I can see Peter really trying to encourage all the Christians in this time. Thank the Lord he is still encouraging and sharing with us in his word today……Just in a short time a new home…
Amen! He is a living and active God! Thank you for sharing this ♥️
Grace and peace multiplied.
Faith in a inheritance, imperishable, undefiled, and unfading
Kept in heaven
for me.
By God’s power, a guarded people
Faith in salvation
Honoring, praising, glorifying Jesus Christ
in the Holy Spirit.
Create in me a clean heart.
Integrity in the inner self,
Teach me deep wisdom.
Restore the joy of your salvation
Give me a willing spirit,
May the life given me,
preserved in You
Bring honor and glory to Your name alone.
Amen.
Beautifully reiterated!! Thank you!!
❤️
Amen!
I find such peace in the realization that God gives us faith so that we can trust Him. This trust then creates this safe place to be vulnerable and to experience His love.
Wow, thanks for sharing!
❤️❤️
❤️
So true…God’s love is the safest place to be vulnerable…he teaches us to love ourselves just as he made us and trust the salvation to himself.
After a day full of life’s little “challenges”, what a perfect reminder to remember the hope we have in Christ, and keep the proper perspective on this life.
“You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy” (1 Peter 1:8). God gives the gift of faith which enables me to trust Him. Trust leads to love. Because they have to go hand in hand. You can’t truly love someone you can’t trust! And God’s love and mercy overflows in my heart as glorious, inexpressible joy! He gives me such joy. Only He gives joy. Oh Father, thank you, thank you for your love and mercy that live in and through me!
God put this in place for me to read tonight. I have been suffering with issues regarding child custody. The lies and horrible things my daughters father says about me and my husband hurt and they are a burden I carry. Knowing these things are just trials and various sufferings that matter none compared to the joy we have coming with the Lord.. that gives me comfort and hope and peace. Praise you Jesus. This is not my home.
I love it that the big picture is so much bigger and better than what is going on in our lives at the moment. The trials we are facing might seem too large, but He is faithful and reminds us this is not all that there is. Our inheritance is waiting, and our faith is being refined like gold in the fire, only better! A brief moment of perspective can really help in the midst of all that life throws at us!
I am so thankful that God has chosen me and has a place for me in heaven and gave me a hope that will never be destroyed
Thank you all for your prayers for my test today, I think I did okay, hoping for a B! It was the first test, so I know what I need to do better for the next one. Next thing today is my online Phsyics test…prayers for that would definitely be appreciated haha! Going to prepare a lot (thankfully it’s open notes, but it is a timed test)…also going to the professor to ask some questions. Love you all!
I hope you have peace with the outcome!
Love the reminder
Of our Living Hope. ❤️
Chosen from the beginning of time … sprinkled by his blood … now redeemed … facing various trials … living in Hope as He perfects my faith … for the end of time … His promise … my inheritance. My heart swells with joy and confidence!
On page 16 of the book it says “These people were likely persecuted Gentile Christians.” Chuck Smith on verse one “Strangers’ refers to the Jews who had been scattered abroad by the Diaspora.” People who knew the law and were without hope because they thought the Messiah would save them from all their persecutors.
I find that when I focus on this hope with the knowledge that my body was not meant to last and this Earth is not my final destination it becomes easier to step out boldly in my faith. My hope is eternal, not the present! Hallelujah!
Just the other day I was saying to my mom something like this, “I wish Jesus would come now.” “Can You just come and get us all right now and all of us go home?” How much longer? As Erin reminds us today. In the blink of the eye. My heart is heavy as I wait for the court date Friday, March 1. I know God is with me! I just don’t like going to court.
“Though you have not seen Him, you love Him;
though not seeing Him now, you believe in Him,
AND
you REJOICE with INEXPRESSIBLE and GLORIOUS JOY,
because you are receiving the goal of your faith,
the salvation of your (MY) souls.”
May the world see the inexpressible and glorious joy in me today!
I only got 1Pet 1:1 then it skipped to Exodus and Psalms…
I just went to the website and it’s showing 1 Peter 1:1-12 for today’s reading. I guess it’s just a typo in the app.
Same here! That’s good to know….
It’s only showing that we read 1 Peter 1:1 today… is it possible that’s a mistake and it should be the entire chapter of 1 Peter 1?
Yes, I only got the first verse as well. I’m so confused.
I just went to the website and it’s showing 1 Peter 1:1-12 for today’s reading. I guess it’s just a typo in the app.
I was confused too!
Thank you for this message today. I needed to hear that “even though now for a short time, if necessary, you suffer grief in various trials”, as I have been struggling lately with medical issues with my daughter. It makes me sad and i don’t understand why. But now I see, that even though we go through these things here on earth, we should not loose site of the end goal, that our salvation will be revealed to us in a short time. Then the grief will end. Praise Jesus!
After the sadness that has come over my town this last Friday I am thankful that God is our forever hope.
Thank you Jeanna❤️
1 Peter 1:8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; though not seeing him now, you believe in him, and you rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy,
We have a storehouse of hope in heaven. I love that so much.
I have often longed to be married and as I watched my friends find love easily, I would struggle. But now, after what seemed like a long time of waiting, I’m planning a wedding with my love. I wonder why I was so discontent – this is my time and it was worth the wait.
I feel this way as I long for heaven. I know it is nearer than I think, but I sometimes feel discontent in the pain of being human. I thought this was a great correlation she made and it made me even more excited to be with our Lord.
I’m 33 and waiting to find my husband. I’m holding on to hope that it will happen in HIS timing. But I’m not going to lie, it gets so hard sometimes.
If you have not heard it, listen to Living Hope by Phil Wickham. Such a great reminder of Jesus. How I long to live daily with this hope at the forefront of my life and not dragging in the rear.
Love this song! “Hallelujah praise the ONE who set me free”.
Thank you for suggesting the song. It tied this reading together nicely and music speaks to my heart and soul. God Bless!
I was ruining the same thing!
Oops, thinking! Not ruining.
Yes!!! Such a perfect song for this message.
I’m tempted to believe that it is my job to keep myself kept. God alone has chosen me and keeps me guarded so that I will commune with one day. What a relief! My job is to respond. I’m astounded that He wants me. I can’t help but respond…
Thank you!
I live how you said “keep myself kept.” I feel like that is my default setting sometimes.
Yes and amen! I remind myself constantly that “he will complete the good work he began in me.” It’s my job to just surrender!
This encouraged me so much today, as my brother is about to undergo heart surgery this morning. I sent these verses to him, I. Hopes he would seriously contemplate a relationship with God.
Praying for your brother this morning.
Praying for you brother and for his heart to start craving the Lords love!!
Praying for your brother ❤️
1 Peter 1: 3-4. I have a trust fund.
I love this too.
This message of hope is a great reminder that there is in store for us than the abundance we have experience thus far. Our human experience will end and we would be wise to remember that God is preparing a place for us in eternity.
For me, it is so good to be reminded of the living hope that I have. I love the verse in Psalm 51 saying “restore the joy of my salvation to me”. No matter what I go through, I have a living hope, Jesus Christ, and because of the salvation I have in Him, I can constantly rejoice, regardless of outside circumstances. It is also a challenge for me to live worthy of this hope, as I have been “chosen” by God Himself.
Yes, thank you for this message! We have a living hope! We have so much to look forward to that we can’t even fathom how awesome it will be! You and my pastor reminded me that we have been given the faith to believe! Even the faith is a gift, so none can boast. It’s all through Him. Amazing!
That stood out for me today too! Faith IS his gift to those who love/follow him. Blessings to you x
What a timely message of hope! I tend to become myopic when I find myself struggling through one thing after another. Even in the middle of these things I know there are blessings but it’s easy to lose sight of the bigger picture and how brief our time here really is. Thank you for the encouragement. ❤️