I love to praise God. I love to praise Him with fellow believers. Seeing saints praise our Lord, whom I love, with all their heart brings me great joy. God is worthy to be praised for who He is and what He has done.
The Apostle Peter in 1 Peter 1:3-7 specifically mentions why our God is worthy to be praised. He mentions in verse 3 that God’s mercy is great—that alone is enough to praise the Lord. God does not give us what we deserve. We are sinners who deserve death and the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). The Apostle Peter goes on to note that God has given us new birth. We have hope because of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Hallelujah! Yes, our God is worthy to be praised.
The passage ends by affirming the promise that Jesus is coming back again in verse 5—this is the second advent. We wait in anticipation for the salvation that will be revealed by faith.
Some doubt that Jesus is coming back. Peter enjoins us to not lose heart and that with the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day (2 Peter 3:8).
Jesus will come back again. He came the first time (Advent) according to Scripture that was foretold by the prophets of old (Isaiah 7:14, 9:6-7, Micah 5:2). Jesus will come back again according to Scripture (John 14:2-3, Acts 1:11, 2 Peter 3:10). Therefore, my dear sisters and brothers in Christ, do not fret, do not be discouraged. Instead, remember the precious promises of His second Advent in Scripture. Watch and pray (Luke 21:36, Colossians 4:2), hold unto Jesus as our living hope (1 Peter 1:3), and praise God!
For reflection:
- Make a list of all the reasons why you, specifically, should praise God.
- Where does His return fall on your list? As you pray through your list of reasons, be sure to consider why His 2nd coming should be as worthy of our praise as His 1st.
Nativity building:
Place Mary, Joseph and an angel figure across the room from the stable. God sent an angel to tell Mary and Joseph that Jesus would be born to Mary.
by Femi Ibitoye
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