A Definite Plan
1 Peter 1:1-2 Greetings from Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ. To God’s chosen people who are away from their homes—people scattered all over the areas of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. God planned long ago to choose you and to make you his holy people, which is the Spirit’s work.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t like to suffer. Hey, I don’t even like being moderately inconvenienced or uncomfortable. How about you?
You know what it’s like when you’re freezing cold. You don’t want to stay that way. In fact, all you can think about is getting warm. And when you’re hot and sweaty, all you want is some cool air and a cold drink. For some people, that’s merely a matter of comfort. But for others, it can be a matter of survival.
When you’re in one of those uncomfortable places, and especially when it crosses the line into real suffering, it’s kind of natural to imagine that God’s forsaken you. Surely this can’t be part of His plan!
Back in the 1st Century AD, Christians suffered a lot. The Jews persecuted them. The Romans persecuted them. And as they were dispersed across the known world (because of that extreme persecution) the locals didn’t much like them either – whacky extremist cult that they were!
To those very people, the Apostle Peter writes this:
1 Peter 1:1-2 Greetings from Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ. To God’s chosen people who are away from their homes—people scattered all over the areas of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. God planned long ago to choose you and to make you his holy people, which is the Spirit’s work.
So, God had a plan that He hatched a long time ago to spread the Good News of Jesus around the world … right down to you and me. And so, for a time, those people had to suffer.
Just because you’re suffering doesn’t mean that God doesn’t have a plan. In fact, the complete opposite – He always has a plan, and He will never forsake you.
That’s His Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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