The resurrection gives us a hope that is alive, not fragile.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,”1 Peter 1:3 (KJV)
What does “Living hope” mean in 1 Peter 1:3?
The King James says lively hope, using an older English word for living. Peter says we have been born again into it through God's great mercy and the resurrection of Jesus.
Going deeper
Peter opens his letter with praise, and the first thing he thanks God for is hope. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, he writes, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Notice the source. This hope is not an optimistic mood. It comes from something that actually happened, the resurrection. And it comes through mercy, not through our effort.
A living hope is one that keeps breathing when circumstances are hard. Peter wrote to believers who were suffering, and he wanted them to know that their hope did not depend on their situation. It rested on a risen Lord. If your hope feels thin today, ask Him to make it alive again. Read this verse slowly, and thank God for the mercy that has given you a new beginning. Hope that is rooted in Easter cannot be buried.
Reflect
Where does your hope feel thin, and what would it mean to root it in the resurrection?
Pray
Father, thank You for Your abundant mercy and for giving me a living hope through Jesus' resurrection. Revive my hope where it feels weak. In Jesus' name, amen.
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