1 Peter 1:3-9 - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

In 1 Peter 1:3-9, the apostle Peter writes to encourage believers who are facing trials and persecution. He reminds them of the incredible hope they have through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Because of God's great mercy, we have been born again into a living hope - an eternal inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade, kept securely in heaven for us. Even in the midst of grief and suffering, we can rejoice in this hope. Our faith is being tested and refined through these trials, to prove its genuineness. Just as gold is purified by fire, the testing of our faith, which is of greater worth than gold, will result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though we have not seen Him, we love Him; and even though we do not see Him now, we believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy. We are receiving the end result of our faith, the salvation of our souls. This passage encourages us that in Christ, we have a secure and unshakable hope, no matter what trials or hardships we face in this life. Our inheritance in Him can never be taken away. God Himself is guarding us by His power until we receive the full revelation of our salvation. So even in suffering, we can rejoice with great joy, knowing that it is refining our faith and will result in glory and praise to God. We may not see Jesus now, but we love and believe in Him, and that fills us with glorious, inexpressible joy as we await the ultimate fulfillment of our salvation.

What an incredible source of hope we have in Jesus Christ and His resurrection! No matter what trials, griefs, or sufferings we face in this life, we can cling to the fact that in Christ, we have an eternal inheritance waiting for us that can never be destroyed or taken away. It is kept safe for us in heaven. The struggles and hardships of this life can feel overwhelming at times. We may be grieved and burdened, wondering how much more we can take. But Peter reminds us that there is purpose in our suffering. Just like gold being refined and purified in the fire, God is using these trials to test and refine our faith, to prove that it is genuine and strong. And that refined faith will result in praise, glory and honor to God. When we keep our eyes fixed on our ultimate hope in Christ, it fills us with inexpressible and glorious joy, even in the midst of pain. Though we can't see Jesus now, we love Him and believe in Him. That unseen hope and faith is the anchor for our souls. It's what enables us to keep going, to persevere under trial, knowing that we are receiving the goal of our faith - the salvation of our souls. This passage is such an encouragement for us to hold fast to hope, knowing that our inheritance is secure in Christ. No matter how much the world around us shakes, our foundation is sure. God Himself is guarding us and guaranteeing our salvation. One day, when Christ is revealed, our faith will be proved genuine and will result in praise and glory and honor to Him. So let us live in light of that hope, walking by faith and not by sight, with joy that can't be put into words. Let's allow the trials to purify our faith and make it stronger. And may we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the source of our living hope, until we see Him face to face.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the incredible hope we have in Jesus Christ and His resurrection. Thank You that by Your great mercy, You have given us new birth into a living hope and an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. We praise You that this inheritance is kept in heaven for us, and that we are shielded by Your power until the coming of our salvation. Forgive us for the times we lose sight of this hope and get weighed down by the trials and sufferings of this life. Help us to see that You are using these struggles to refine and purify our faith, so that it will result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Give us strength to persevere in faith. Though we do not see You now, we love You and believe in You. Fill us with inexpressible and glorious joy as we cling to this unseen hope. Help us to live each day in light of eternity, walking by faith and not by sight. May our lives bring glory to You as we await the full revelation of our salvation. Thank You that because of Jesus, our hope is secure and unshakable. Help us to hold fast to that truth. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.