Daily prayer: Father, we fix our thoughts upon the living hope we have in Jesus Christ our Lord. We anchor our soul in the bedrock of Your Holy Word so that when other viewpoints or life's circumstances seek to counter the truths You teach our anchor remains firm. When difficulties appear insurmountable remind us that we serve an extraordinary God who does not rely on natural solutions but works in the supernatural realm to meet our needs and fulfill His plan for our lives. Satan builds brick walls in our mind to block our faith and the trust we have in You to make “all things work together for good to those who love You...” But our faith is grounded in the living hope of our resurrected Savior and it is in His name that we pray. Amen.

Additional study note:

Before the cross Jesus’ disciples had seen many miracles, spent time in fellowship with Christ daily, overcame their shadowed past, and yet they were thrust into what seemed to be a hopeless situation. Their leader was betrayed by one of their very own. Priests, scribes, and political heads, and the nameless crowd came against them and cast Jesus as a dangerous rebel.

Judas who allowed Satan to use him, afterward, recognized what a mistake he’d made. When he "saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders" (Matthew 27:3). When they refused his money and proceeded with plans for Jesus’ death Judas saw no hope and cut his life short. His major failure consumed his soul which prevented him from seeing beyond Jesus’ suffering on the cross to rejoicing in the salvation He provided for a lost world.

On the other hand, Peter, who also failed in his discipleship role, denied Christ. He was utterly disappointed in himself since he was adamant in his declaration the night before, "Even if I must die with you, I will never deny you" (Matthew 26:35). After the rooster crowed, "The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter" (Luke 22:61). Following his denial he went outside and wept bitterly. In spite of his major failure was it the look of compassion and understanding Peter saw in Jesus’ eyes, rather than vengeance or judgment, that eventually restored his hope and trust? He chose to let go of his hopeless failure and took up the living hope in the One who would soon be crucified and resurrected to life. That's the power of the opening words in his first letter.

“Living hope” for the follower of Christ is a result of God’s great mercy and the new birth He has given us, grounded in the glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. The apostle Peter wrote these words to encourage believers undergoing various trials and persecution. Some thirty years after Christ’s resurrection the church entered a time of horrific persecution during Nero’s reign. It was shortly after this that Peter, once filled with fear and shame, was likely martyred for his faith.

All of us who trust in Christ have this living hope. As we live out our lives we have many of the same problems as others. But our perspective differs based on the empty tomb and the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Our hope is alive and our eternal future awaits us, no matter the present circumstances. Billy Graham characteristically stated it so simply, "As a Christian I have hope not just for this life but for Heaven and the life to come."