Faith and hope

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Turn your eyes upon Jesus

Salt of the Sound

Today is Sunday the 19th of April, beginning the third week of Easter.

Salt of the Sound sings, ‘Turn your eyes upon Jesus... and the things of the earth will fall strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.’

Turn your eyes upon Jesus

Look full in His wonderful face

And the things of the earth

Will grow strangely dim

In the light of His glory and grace

In the light of His glory and grace

2:35

Today’s reading is from the First Letter of Peter.

1 Peter 1:17-21

If you invoke as Father the one who judges all people impartially according to their deeds, live in reverent fear during the time of your exile. You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish. He was destined before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end of the ages for your sake. Through him you have come to trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are set on God.

4:16

Revelations of Light

Christopher Galovan

Peter is writing to the persecuted church to encourage them in their faith, by firstly reminding them to live with reverent fear, or perhaps we might think of it as “holy awe”, with God as their Father. In which ways do you love and serve God the Father with this “reverent fear”, this “holy awe”?

Peter continues by reminding the church of the gift of their salvation, redeemed not with perishable silver or gold, but something more costly, something beyond value.

So, ponder now on the sacrifice of Jesus, of his precious blood, of the outpouring of his love for you.

As you listen to this reading again, imagine that Peter is addressing you personally and notice which words move you.

7:23

1 Peter 1:17-21

If you invoke as Father the one who judges all people impartially according to their deeds, live in reverent fear during the time of your exile. You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish. He was destined before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end of the ages for your sake. Through him you have come to trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are set on God.

8:48

In this short reading, Peter has reminded us of Jesus’s costly sacrifice on the cross and of the glory of the resurrection, so, take a moment now to offer your faith and hope in Him as an outpouring of gratitude to God.

11:05

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be

World without end

Amen