Friday, March 30, 2007

/ Lord, introduce me to the availability of a New Life and spark a
living hope within me./

*Scripture for today:* 1 Peter 1:3-5

*What do you see?*

1. Underline the words in this passage that pop out as blessings. 2. Is
this promise to be redeemed in life now, or to be realized after death?

When Jesus Christ rose from the dead, something quite amazing happened.
Not only did Jesus come back to life after lying in a tomb for three
days dead [this alone captivates our imagination!] but we, too, were
given a new birth. Those who believe in Jesus Christ experience a new
birth into a new reality: hope and inheritance that will never fade. I
picture it this way: when Jesus was resurrected, he opened a gateway.
Those who follow him in his death (dying to the Old Life, the Former
Self dominated by sin), follow him through this doorway into Life that
is characterized by hope and culminates in heaven (the “inheritance that
will never perish”). Between now and heaven, God is keeping our hope
alive and protecting us by his power, shielding us from the things that
would be spiritually threatening.

Remember C. S. Lewis’ Narnia book _The Silver Chair_? In her underground
realm, the Witch had cast a hopeless spell upon Puddleglum and the
children so that they would forget they had come from above ground,
where there were trees, grass, sun and moon. Alert to their danger,
Puddleglum made a brave speech to say they would have a better quality
of life believing in that sunlit world, even if it turned out not to be
real, than they had in the dark underground under the Witch’s spell.
Above ground there was life, below ground there is futility, darkness,
despair and meaninglessness. Who can thrive on that spiritual diet? With
the Truth thus exposed, the Witch lost her powers and the gateway to
light and life was discovered.

The gift we have been given is the promise of God’s “above

ground,” that is, heaven that awaits us. We have been given hope now and
so look forward to eternal life. We receive an inheritance based on
God’s merciful promise, which he will fulfill at just the right time.

/O Lord, don’t let me lose sight of the light and life you have given
me. Help me to live as a child of the light, with hope in my heart and a
vision for heaven. In the meantime, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven!” In Jesus’ name, Amen./

The Rev. Mary Naegeli

Minister-at-Large

Adjunct Faculty, Fuller Theological Seminary