And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
Are you a converted coward? When I first read this I had to read the chapter a couple times before I landed on this word fear tucked in at the end of verse 17. The word fear I would associate with coward. The words fear and coward are not popular these days. It seems often you should’t show fear or let anyone call you a coward because you won’t say or do something. But here, Peter talks about fear as a healthy respect for an all-powerful Lord. That ultimately God, who is the only judge, will one day make an eternal decision. In having the reminder of eternal decisions I reflect on 2 Corinthians 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in my infirmities, in reproach, in needs, in persecution, in distress, for Christ’s sake. For when i am weak, then I am strong.
So how am I passing the time while I’m on this Earth? What does our pilgrimage on Earth look like? Honestly, many days and hours I can take for granite when I get caught up in my own desires. My prayer is to consider this short time on Earth. Like verse 24 say, All people are like grass, and all their glory is like flowers on the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall This reminds me that the kind of fear Peter is talking about encourages a healthy reminder of God’s holiness and judgement as believers. It’s been timely to land on 1 Peter 1 for today’s reading. Peter provides encouragement for any suffering we may be going through as Christians. Maybe you have some suffering going on today. I would encourage you to continue to read 1 Peter 1 & 2.
Dear Heavenly Father,
We pray to be converted cowards. To be reminded daily that you are coming back and each day is our opportunity to live out our lives obeying your truth with sincere love. That in each day we are fully alert to your presence and the promise that you are coming back and our hope is set on You! We believe in your words and ask for belief in our unbelief moments. Lord, in our struggles we can reminded that you are near. We love you and thank you for people like Peter who was there through your suffering and suffered himself when he struggled with his own beliefs. Help us to remember our identity in you, that we may seem like exiles on this earth but will be part of your family eternally. God I can selfishly fall short, please continue to build a coward that fears you and makes a difference in how I live.
Amen
