1 Peter 4:7-11
“The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 4:7-11 NIV
The end of all things is near. Do you hear the ticking of the clock? Time’s short. Jesus is coming. To follow Christ is to live with expectation anticipating the day Christ pulls back the veil of eternity and returns for His own. This world we see and touch will not endure forever. We are made for greater things. Eternal things. And so even as the sand of time pours away from beneath our feet, we plant ourselves on the solid ground of Christ and cling to the three things that are eternal God’s Word. And the souls of men and women. There are certain behaviors that clearly are communicated within Christian families. From today’s scriptures, loving others, being hospitable to others, serving others, speaking carefully to others and prayer. We realize that we ought never eat without thanking God for our food. Most of us pray around the table when we eat. But how often does that really happen? When our children are young, we say bedtime prayers with them. But at what age does that stop? Do we teach children that prayer is the last thing we do, or the first thing we do, as we move through our lives? How often do our children see us pray? What difference might that make in their appreciation of the role that faith plays in our lives? Our time indeed is short. So, let us make the most of it, while we can. Let us especially not neglect the reality of the end and live whole heartedly for God in the world, with this in view. Our work indeed is great. We may often be maligned for it, as we refuse to go the way of the world, but it is the way of service and selflessness. We are walking in the footsteps of our Saviour. The consequences of our labor’s are indeed infinite, so let us always seek to glorify God, regardless of what the world may say or do, for to Him alone belong all glory and dominion forever and ever. What does that love look like? Peter shows us in the following verses. Offer hospitality joyfully, not complaining and invite others into your homes and lives. Use your gifts to serve others, stewarding God’s grace rather than hoarding it for yourself. If you speak, do so as if speaking the very Words of God. If you serve, do it with the strength God supplies so that in all that we say and do God may be praised through Jesus Christ. For all glory and power belong to him, always and forever.
Love looks like something. It looks like friends gathered around a table who still leave enough room to invite others in. It looks like the mother who runs through her days just to keep up, but still manages to make a visit to the widow next door. Or like the Sunday School class that doesn’t bat an eye at the chain smoking, tattoo covered, leather wearing biker who just pulls up an extra chair and passes him a Bible. It looks like caring enough to work through conflicts instead of booting people out of our lives; like laying down some of our own preferences so others can worship, like spending time serving in the background so someone else can stand in the spotlight and let God shine through. Time is short. Love well. Like the churches to which Peter first wrote, we live in a world that is not always friendly to our faith. We too face a host of both internal and external pressures. And we also anticipate the day of Christ’s coming. Time’s short. We need to love one another well, creating our own safe harbor in a dangerous world. And we need to love at full stretch, reaching to embrace those outside of our faith community so we can invite them in. For Christ is coming, and too many are still unprepared. Time’s short. Love well!!!
Father thank you for this day and be who we were called, your Church to witness that you were in Christ reconciling the world to all. Lord open up the storehouses of Your abundant blessings and rain them down upon my friend and family today. Lord help us to proclaim the good news of Your love, that all who hear it may be drawn to You. Lord through You who was lifted up on the cross, and lets us reign with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever we are grateful. Daddy we love You amen. Be a blessing. Love ya !
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