NO BED OF ROSES
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see. So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So 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.
1 Peter 1:3-7 NLT
TODAY’S THOUGHT
This is a passage worth reading a couple of times real slow. There is a lot to pick up. Peter reminds us it is through God’s mercy that we have been born again—we are free from the control and consequences of sin. We are new creations in Christ Jesus. We are alive to a new way of thinking and living. Because of this new birth we have “great expectation.” Because of this we have “priceless inheritance.” Because of this we can be “truly glad” because we know “there is wonderful joy ahead.” Peter is not promising life will be a bed of roses. “We must endure many trials for a little while.” But he lets us know “there trials will show that your faith is genuine.” Peter uses the analogy of gold being tested by fire. When gold is being processed, they take the raw ore with all the various elements and put them through fire. The fire breaks down the raw elements into liquid. Because gold is a heavy element it sinks to the bottom and all the other stuff comes to the top. The refiner scoops off the other elements and heats the fire hotter. The hotter the fire the more the bad stuff comes to the surface. Some gold is 10 carat gold, some is 18 carat, and some even higher rated. The higher the rating the more precious and expensive the gold. That means it endured more fire and more of the dross—other elements—were removed from the mixture. The more trouble you endure the purer your life can be when you allow the Holy Spirit to work on you through the fire. This is the time when the dross is being removed so that the purity of the person God destined you to be can shine forth. You don’t reach perfection without the fire.
TODAY’S PRAYER
Holy Spirit please help me to learn my lessons in this season of fire. Help me to live with “great expectation” of what You are going to do in me and through me. Help me to allow Your work in my life.
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