Magnified Peace - Pt 1

May grace and peace be multiplied to you. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 1:2-7 ESV).

I apologize for returning to my Yellowstone experience so soon for inspiration; however, this series is being written while we are actually in Montana at the “Falcon House.” It is a beautiful lodge set in the mountains just outside of the north entrance to Yellowstone National Park. This picture comes from our first morning there as I watched the sunrise over the mountains from our back patio. Drinking a cup of Texas Pecan coffee and being still drew me to the incredible peace God gives us. As I drank my coffee and watched the world wake up with birds singing and the deer moving in the distance I was struck with the Scripture from today’s reading. The apostle Paul starts all of his letters with the prayer that “grace and peace” will come to the reader. But he never uses a verb. He never says, “Grace and peace be to you,” or, “Grace and peace come to you.” He assumes the verb. Peter makes it explicit. He begins both his letters, “May grace and peace be multiplied to you.” Paul would be very happy with this verb. It’s what he means when he says thirteen times, “Grace to you and peace.” The verb “be multiplied” is used twelve times in the New Testament and always means “increase.” It indicates a movement from lesser to greater. Reading all of these verse again today I am reminded there are at least five important implications in these words for our lives. Today I will merely list them; however, we will explore each of them in the days ahead. They are:  Grace and peace are experienced.  Grace and peace vary in measure in our lives.  There is always more grace and peace to be enjoyed.  Grace and peace are multiplied by God.  The means of multiplied grace and peace is prayer and meditation in the Scripture. Today, as we start, be encouraged that God desires you to have this abundance now and forever!