Daily Devotional 1 Peter 1: 22-25
Have you ever wondered what our glorified bodies will be like? The book of 1 Corinthians 15 tells us that they will be as different from our current bodies as plants are from the seeds they grow from. If you woke up today with aches and pains, you can be glad that our resurrected bodies will be spiritual, not natural; strong, not weak; glorious, not broken; and immortal, not subject to death (1 Cor. 15:35–57).
Love one another deeply, from the heart.
1 PETER 1:22
This is part of what it means to be born again of imperishable seed (v. 23; see also John 12:23–25). Our glorified bodies, though, are in the future. What about the present? What does it mean to live by faith in the here and now? One answer is that believers should “love one another deeply, from the heart” (v. 22). This is what we’ll do if we’re truly pursuing holiness and setting our minds on hope (see October 5).
The ability to do so comes from God. The redemptive sacrifice of His Son demonstrated His deep love for us and empowered us to love this way as well. Nothing in this world could possibly have accomplished that, just as nothing in this world can give us certain hope.
The “seed” metaphor in today’s reading is both natural (seeds and plants) and social (the conception and birth of children). We have been spiritually reborn into a different family, a heavenly and eternal one. Who we are has been transformed and is being transformed in ways that were previously impossible.
In our everyday lives, the key to this ongoing transformation is the “living and enduring word of God” (vv. 23–25). We can have absolute confidence in God’s Word because it’s...well, God’s Word—absolutely true, inerrant, and infallible. It “endures forever” (quoted from Isa. 40:6–8). It teaches and enables us to live holy and loving lives.
>> Peter challenges us to show love to our fellow believers. Ask God how and to whom you can show authentic love today. Put your faith into action by extending an act of love.
Pray with Us
Father, teach us to love and recognize Your ways. This world is full of counterfeits. Today, lead us to someone who needs to see Your love in action. Guide us to demonstrate Your unfailing, unconditional love.