2 PETER 1:1

TUESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2007

IS ST. PETER WRITING TO YOU?

1 Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: 2 Peter 1:1 (NKJV)

Introductory verses to the Epistles are often overlooked or passed off as general greetings without much meaning. It is my belief that each word in Scripture is a part of something that God wants us to know as we grow in faith. Unfortunately some meanings have not been revealed to us at this point. I believe this because I am in awe of the things that I learn from passages that I thought I knew before. These verses tell us who St. Peter is and who the people are who receive this letter.

St. Peter tells us that he is a servant and an apostle. He does not refer to any praise that he had been given by Jesus or any acts of faith that he gave witness to others. He is a servant. Even though he is a volunteer servant, that is a servant by choice, he is bonded to the will of his Master. The difference is that he is bonded willingly. His act of servanthood is to be an apostle, to tell the story of Jesus and His love.

St. Peter is writing to those who have obtained a precious faith. It is important here to understand the word, “precious.” When we use the word “precious” in relationship to a thing, a person, or to describe anything, the word cost is involved. This is a “precious” (it cost this much) antique. This is a “precious” (it cost a lot of time and work) whatever it is that someone might have made. This “precious” (It was paid for by Jesus giving His life on the Cross) faith that Peter mentions.

It is to these people who recognize the cost of that precious faith that St. Peter is sending this letter.

This single verse contains more than enough for us to mediate upon and pray about. We dare not rush past it for if we do we may become discouraged as we read on. These thoughts are not to discourage you, but encourage you to pray that your faith would increase as God reveals to you an increasing awareness of the price that Jesus paid so that you and I can say, “I believe.

WE PRAY:

Divine Instructor, gracious Lord,
O grant our fervent prayer,
Teach us to love Thy sacred Word,
And view the Savior there.

FATHER OF MERCIES IN THY WORD from cyberhymnal.org

A SUGGESTION FOR LIVING THE DEVOTION

Not one of us has a FAITH as strong as it should be. We should do two things daily - Pray that our faith might be strengthened -Read the Bible to allow the Holy Spirit to lead you to understand the true cost that Jesus paid so that we might believe.