Photo and Commentary ©2023 by Darren Milam
Wednesday, October 11, 2023
Life is tough. We live in a sinful world and each day we never know what’s going to be thrown at us. Lots of materials we read, or commercials we hear, tend to tell us to “stay strong” or “work through it” – all actions that are centered on what WE can do for ourselves. The idea of self-help isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as we always can improve and get better at something. The issue arises when we start to ONLY rely on ourselves. Clearly God has given us the ability to think for ourselves and act (physically) for ourselves. He wants us to be intelligent and make good decisions. Again, where we can run into trouble is when we start forgetting where that strength, or those “smarts” come from. It’s not us, it’s Him.
In 1 Peter 1, verses 3-9, we can read the result of our faith,
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. n all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Even in the very first sentence we see how great our God is – “In his great mercy….given us new birth…living hope.” Through hard work and perseverance – right? NO. It says we are given this living hope through the resurrection of Jesus! Let that sink in. This living hope, salvation and eternal life is GIVEN, not earned. I can hear many of you reciting the quote – Righteousness by FAITH, not by works. We don’t earn this gift because we don’t deserve this gift. Only by the mercy of our Creator do we have the chance to accept this gift.
Does this all mean, we should sit back and wait until it’s time to cash in our prize? No. God wants us to be active in our faith. He wants us to be our best selves. How do we achieve that? We have a daily walk with Jesus, asking for guidance, protection, and strength along the way. He will show us the one and true path.
This image, as you can see, is a small waterfall, flowing over mossy rocks. You can find this exact spot at the Bellevue Botanical Garden. I used this image, as it provides peace and calmness to me (hopefully you as well). When I think of that incredible inheritance we have been given, it’s such a sense of relief in contrast with what we deal with now. I long for the day to peacefully sit next to a heavenly waterfall and visit with my creator.