The God of all Grace

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The theme of 1 Peter has been clear: God’s comforting grace and the living hope that he has provided. As Apostle Peter closes his first letter to the early Church in Asia Minor, he concludes with the encouraging hope:

1. We have a God of all grace, who gives us what we do not deserve
2. He called us to his eternal glory in Christ
3. Our present sufferings will be temporal
4. He will restore us and make us strong, firm and steadfast.

Throughout our journey on earth, God does not shy away from talking about the sufferings we have to go through, simply because He is in full control of it all. In fact, He talks about how to deal with it. He gives us grace through what He has done on the cross at Calvary for us. This is only our temporal home. He is preparing us for our eternal home which will be infinitely much better than what we can ever imagine. It is because of this eternal hope of the life after that we can make sense and purpose of our lives on earth. This is the wonderful inheritance by the new birth into a living hope “into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you,” (1 Peter 1:4)

He also gives us grace by helping us through all our needs, whether is it by His comforting word, or the guidance of His Holy Spirit. “God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you‘” (Heb 13:5). When we depend on God’s grace in response to our suffering, it actually results in glory (1 Pet 4:13-16). Let us take heart that how we respond to trials does not only affect ourselves but has the infinite potential of bringing glory to our God of all grace.

Most importantly, the God of all grace promises that He will restore us to be what we have always strived to be – strong, firm and steadfast, like our Lord Jesus. Do we want the same? Remember God’s grace daily and may we look forward to the day of being restored to glory with our Lord Jesus! “The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:7) as we face these fiery trials.