Compiled By: Lisa K Gonzales
Source: The Life Application Study Bible
21 “Through Christ you have come to trust in GOD. And because GOD raised Christ from the dead and gave Him great glory, your faith and hope can be placed confidently in GOD. 22 Now you can have sincere love for each other as brothers and sisters because you were cleansed from your sins when you accepted the truth of the Good News. So see to it that you really do love each other intensely with all your hearts.” ~ 1 Peter 1:21-22
“Sincere love” involves selfless giving; a self-centered person can not truly love. GOD’s love and forgiveness free you to take your eyes off yourselves and to meet others’ needs. By sacrificing His life, Christ demonstrated that He truly loves us. Now we can love others by following His example and giving of ourselves sacrificially.
23 “For you have been born again. Your new life did not come from your earthly parents because the life they gave you will end in death. But this new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living Word of GOD. 24 As the prophet says, ‘People are like grass that dies away; their beauty fades as quickly as the beauty of wildflowers. The grass withers, and the flowers fall away. 25 But the Word of the LORD will last forever.’ And that Word is the Good News that was preached to you.” – 1 Peter 1:23-25 – Quoting Isaiah 40:6-8, Peter reminds believers that everything in this life – possessions, accomplishments, people – will eventually fade away and disappear.
6 “A voice said, ‘Shout!’ I asked, ‘What should I shout?’ ‘Shout that people are like grass that dies away. Their beauty fades as quickly as the beauty of flowers in the field. 7 The grass withers, and the flowers fade beneath the breath of the LORD. And so it is with people. 8 The grass withers, and the flowers fade, but the Word of our GOD stands forever.’” – Isaiah 40:6-8 – People are compared here to grass and flowers that wither away. We are mortal, but GOD’s Word is eternal and unfailing. Public opinion changes and is unreliable, but GOD’s Word is constant. Only in GOD’s eternal Word will we find lasting solutions to our problems and needs. Only GOD’s will, Word, and work are permanent. We must stop grasping the temporary and begin focusing our time, money, and energy on the permanent: the Word of GOD and our eternal life in Christ. What do you focus your time, money, and energy on?
Father help us to see with the eyes of our hearts. Help us to see through YOUR Word what is truly important in life so that we can stop grasping the temporary and begin focusing our time, money, and energy on YOUR permanent, living, breathing Word and our eternal life with Christ.
Photo: Tamarindo (Costa Rica)
Photographer: Lisa K Gonzales
Click on the photo to enlarge
