“You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.”
1 Peter 1:8-9 NLT
What Peter wrote to those early Christians living in a far-off corner of what is now modern Turkey was truth indeed. And it is even more true today. We pilgrims have never seen Jesus in the flesh, in the way the early disciples did as he walked and talked with them, and lived with them, in Palestine and the surrounding areas. Yet, as Peter wrote, the early believers, located many miles away from the Holy Land, loved Him, and so do we believers today. It is what faith is all about. We believe in Him, and all the information we can find about Him in the Bible. And because of that we love Him and trust Him.
There is much in the Bible about Jesus. Prophetic words in the Old Testament. Personal glimpses and records of His teaching and sayings in the New. A Figure emerges of a loving man, compassionate and caring, the very face of God Himself. God came to this planet in human skin and those who followed Him, those He called, were never the same again after He left. The amazing fact is that through the Holy Spirit, Jesus is still with us today. He said to His disciples just a few hours before His death, “But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. … When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future” (John 16:7,13). The Holy Spirit, the Advocate, never left this world, and He lives within all those who love and trust Jesus.
Peter continued that because we trust Him, we “rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy”. Those early Christians were having a hard time and they were experiencing many trials and challenges, being counter-cultural in their societies and communities. But they were filled with joy. Not happiness. The difference is that happiness is an emotional feeling, tossed around by the external factors in our lives, such as what we eat, who we meet, and how we feel. But joy is different, and is based on something deep within us, an inner knowledge that no matter what happens externally, we are ok within ourselves. We are at peace. We are in Christ.
Peter wrote that there is a reward for trusting Jesus and that is the “salvation of [our] souls”. We believe what Jesus said. We believe that His promises are true. And we trust Him for the outcomes that will happen one day in the future. Jesus said, “There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?” (John 14:2). That’s in the future, but much of Jesus’ teaching applies to today as well. In Matthew 11:28-30 He said, “ … Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light”. John 14:6, “Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me”. The list of promises that Jesus made builds a picture of a God who cares for us and loves us.
Peter concludes these verses today with the thought that we have waiting for us a reward for trusting Him. and that is the “salvation of [our] souls”. Imagine before us a cross roads. Turn left for the paths and ways of the world. Lives without God. Lives dominated by the hedonism and decadence of the sinful societies in which we live. Or turn right, for a life that won’t be easy – Jesus said, ” … Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. …” (John 16:33). And those early believers in the five provinces were finding that out. But all worth it because of the reward that was waiting for them, secure in Heaven. So, fellow pilgrims, where is our security? Where is our treasure stored? Which turning will we take – left of right? There is only one way – the Jesus way.
Dear Father God. Thank You for the joy within us, a joy that can only be found in You. Amen.
Being a Pilgrim 