God is Indescribable - the Great Encourager!

 

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:9–10 ESV).

 

There is no doubt in the description of God as the ultimate encourager due to His attributes like mercy, omnipresence, omnipotence, and omniscience. He is with people in all situations, to have the power to handle any circumstance, and to know what is needed to bring people out of discouragement. In the giving of the Holy Spirit to every believer who stays by our side, comforts us, counsels us, and helps us through stressful times we can see another aspect of this indescribable characteristic of God. The Holy Spirit is the one who gives strength and prays for us. And, then, when we see the life of Jesus we see the perfect description of an encourager through His teachings and actions. God is indeed the Great Encourager.  

 

Let’s dive a bit deeper to understand the practical application of this truth. Peter, one of Jesus’ closest followers, urgently encouraged Christians in the first century as they endured intense persecution, suffering, trials, and hardships. I imagine that Peter’s words also helped to lift himself up in some way, especially considering the changes he went through since first meeting Jesus near the Sea of Galilee. Once a professional fisherman, he soon became a church planter, a pastor, an encourager, and a defender of the faith. He went from mending nets to leading the newly formed church of Jesus Christ, full of freshly baptized believers. He could only have become this man because of Jesus’ encouragement after the resurrection (cf. John 21:15-19).

 

In our reading today Peter’s words are unapologetically bold while also being full of grace and love. Although these words were written over 2,000 years ago, they are just as true today for you and me, because we too are God’s chosen people, a group called to be ministers and shepherds in our homes and communities. We have been set apart by God’s grace, and we are heirs with Christ in his glorious kingdom, which is yet to come in its fullness. God has given us the wonderful and beautiful gift of salvation, the light of eternal life that eliminates the darkness of sin and death, for which we were once destined. We are encouraged to be an encourager!