Hallelujah!
These words are exciting, true, and make me want to do a little happy dance all day long.
Oh, you want to join in? Okay. Well take delight in 1 Peter 1:22-25 and embrace it:
“You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart. For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. As the Scriptures say, ‘People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades. But the word of the Lord remains forever.’ And that word is the Good News that was preached to you.”
We often may read verse 24, ‘People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades. But the word of the Lord remains forever’, and equate that to our physical appearance. Well…sure, our outward appearance does have a tendency to show some “character” (those defining wrinkles) and your skin displays an interpretation to some of the life you’ve exposed it to, but remember…1 Samuel 16:7b, “man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” However, reread those verses that precede verse 24 and observe what truly has withered and faded…your old life.
Take joy in knowing that when you sincerely asked Christ into your life and began obeying Him He cleansed you from your sins. They are gone! Outta here! See ya NOT later! Those sins have withered away! Can I get a “Hallelujah”?
Therefore, since we are born again and bathed in the Holy Spirit we are to do something that many find difficult to do…love one another. Love your Christian brothers and sisters not just on the surface, but deeply. God says so, so obey Him.
So let’s do a quick recap:
- You obeyed Christ and gave your life to Him.
- Because you did so, your sins are washed away and forgiven (no matter how great they were).
- Now that you are a Christian, you are to love your fellow believers deeply and wholeheartedly.
- Your new life in Christ is a forever thing!
- Your old life is gone, just as the flowers of the field wither and die.
- Your new life will grow with beauty because you have the word of the Lord within you.
- Now, that’s some Good News!
Take delight in these verses and do a little happy dance all day. Let others see the difference that Christ makes in you through your words and actions.
I pray many blessings and much JOY for you! Have a wonderful day. – Stephanie