We reflected last month on the early part of 1 Peter 2. I would like to wrap that this month, with a few additional comments from the end of 1 Peter 1:22-25 and on through 1 Peter 2:4-17.

We generally get a guarantee for the work we have done. It might be 20 years for a roof, three months or one year for car repairs, or, in the case of the St. Louis seminary buildings, 200 years I think (will the company still be around then?). Peter reminds us of the guarantee on our lives. Humanly speaking, we are all guaranteed to die physically. Unless the Lord returns, our time is passing. Nothing we can do will guarantee living forever, or even much past a hundred. Many of us will not make it that far. Our efforts to build our own life will all come to an end.

But God's Word, His promise of life and eternal life, of salvation and eternal protection, stands on the promise of God. He who said "Let there be light! And there was light" (and still is) also says that his Son's suffering, death, and resurrection changes our eternity with him. Is it not odd that it can be relatively easy to build our own lives and be terribly busy, but hard for many to make or take the time to celebrate the rock-solid foundation in Christ? How foolish to think that we are "beyond that" or "that takes too much time" or "that is not interesting" or "the same old story is boring" when that is the only foundation that will last.

Peter goes on to warn us that we live "in" the world that is caught up in malice, envy, greed, and strife, but that the Lord has delivered us from its pull and promise. What in our life looks beautiful but turns out to be a weed? What dreams are we driven to? What alleys? What dead-ends? Only the Word of eternal life helps us sort out "busy" and "worthy." Our Lord seeks to settle us as we live in the world so that the drives of the world are silenced and the joy in Christ can be boasted.

I continue to urge you to read 1 Peter each week and drink deeply and be founded on your Savior who helps you see how you have been fitted into Christ forever.

In Christ our Lord and Savior,
Pastor Thomas Trapp