Journey to the Cross

Pause

Peace be with you.

Listen

You now rejoice in this hope, even if it’s necessary for you to be distressed for a short time by various trials. This is necessary so that your faith may be found genuine. (Your faith is more valuable than gold, which will be destroyed even though it is itself tested by fire.) Your genuine faith will result in praise, glory, and honor for you when Jesus Christ is revealed. Although you’ve never seen him, you love him. Even though you don’t see him now, you trust him and so rejoice with a glorious joy that is too much for words. You are receiving the goal of your faith: your salvation.

1 Peter 1:6-9

Think

Maybe today would be a good day to celebrate. Yes, there might be some stuff that happens that is not particularly joyous. But in light of what we have received, there is good reason to celebrate! Our faith will sometimes be challenged, but that will only purify it.

The passage says, “rejoice with a glorious joy that is too much for words.” If it is too much for words, why am I typing right now? I can’t do it justice! It’s something that must be LIVED. It’s something that must be DEMONSTRATED. It’s something that must be EXPERIENCED and SHARED. You are receiving the goal of your faith. Don’t live as if there is no hope. Don’t live as if there is not more to come. Don’t live as if God hasn’t done enough for you. Celebrate!

Tyler Spradling

Pray

Sometimes all I can think about is how I’ve messed up or what I’ve done wrong. God, today I want to celebrate what you have done for me. Use my life to show the world what joy is all about! Amen.

Go

You might have come here in pieces. Receive the Holy Spirit. Go in peace.