~ written by Connie Dunmyer
What is hope? Well, hope is not "wishful thinking" or a "fingers-crossed" desire. Hope IS confidence and expectation of what God has promised, combined with the patience to wait for it (a gift of the Spirit). Even on days like today.
1 Peter 1:1-4: “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God’s elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout the provinces…, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade – kept in heaven for you…”
This first verse: “strangers in the world”…
I have been very blessed to have had extraordinary travel experiences. And often my heart will yearn for some of these experiences to be repeated. But this reminds me that this world is not my home. I am a new creature. I don’t belong here. I am being REFINED here. But I was never meant to “settle” here for long.
It’s a change of mindset, which is difficult for me. I tend to like my paradigms – my rules – my boxes and cubbies. The Father does give me joy – most often in the little things. But I’ve had more than my share of big things too. BUT who I am is not a citizen of this world. I’m not even an immigrant. I am an alien – like from outer space – completely different than those around me who are of this world.
Then verse 2: “who have been chosen” by God…
God chose me. And even my “yes” to Him comes from Him.
“…according to the foreknowledge of God…”
John Wesley: "Strictly speaking, there is no foreknowledge, no more than afterknowledge, with God; but all things are known to him as present, from eternity to eternity. Election, in the scriptural sense, is God's doing any thing that our merit or power has no part in.”
With God there is no “foreknowledge” anymore than there is “afterknowledge”. Everything is “Present” with God. And so when we say “chosen” – ALL were chosen – if they accept the terms of becoming ONE with Him.
“…Through the sanctifying work of the Spirit”. . . I mean wow!! If I allow… if I open myself up… to the Spirit to work in me (through my listening and obedience) – I am being sanctified. Set apart. Purified. Refined.
“…Grace and peace be ours in abundance.”
I don’t always feel it. But it IS because it is PRESENT-TENSE. Neither past nor future. Since God is ONE and we are ONE with Him, all things that ever were, all things that are, all things that ever will be – are ours, even now, because we are One with the Father.
Now that is what I call a packed verse!
I move on to verse 3: “In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus…”
Clarke’s Commentary: Previously to Jesus’ death, the apostles had strong confidence that he was the Messiah, and that it was he who should redeem Israel; but when they found that he actually expired upon the cross, and was buried, they appear to have lost all hope of the great things which before they had in prospect. (see Luke 24:13-24 Road to Emmaus). And the hope, that with them, died with their Master, and seemed to be buried in his grave, was restored by the certainty of his resurrection. … This hope became nearly, if not altogether, extinct; but by his resurrection the hope was revived.
There have been stretches of time when all my hope has died. I am reminded of a time... a vote, where I was certain God was telling me one thing. I counted on that. And when it turned out quite the opposite of what I thought God was saying – I was thrust into a depression like I’d never known.
I cannot say that I was ever “revived” into understanding that what God was doing was “a new thing” (Isaiah 43:18-19). I kept missing what He was saying – until well after the fact. It’s only been in recent years have I been able to look back and see that what I thought was “dead” – a dead hope – was indeed “living” all along.
This verse appears to be talking about heaven, and our confidence in it. But I think it also speaks to our day-to-day hopes. We may think them “dead” – but in fact, in Jesus, they are living, breathing, growing hopes given to us by the Father because of His great mercy and love toward His dearly beloved children.
Hope is alive again!
And as time goes by – especially on days when I feel nothing but resignation – I am learning that I don’t need to trust my own “hopes”, dreams, ideas of what God is promising. Instead, I am learning to trust in the ONE who holds my “living hopes”, dreams, and ideas of His actual promises.
It seems a small paradigm-shift . . . but even a tiny change in the rudder of a ship makes all the difference in its direction and ultimate destination.
Hope in the GIFT isn’t hope at all. It will necessarily let us down every time. But Hope in the GIVER, is living and breathing, and will never, ever let us down – but will grow and multiply.
“Yesterday” felt like a dead hope. “Today” He has breathed life into it. Today is a living hope.
My Prayer:
Father, You know my weary heart. I need to say no more about it. I have no answers, no balm with which to cure my ills. But I have You. And even in my sadness and weariness, I am settled in You alone. I really am. Some days my mind and heart don’t follow in faith as they should. “Today” can be a struggle – I fully admit. I don’t know what to lay before You. I don’t know what to do. But here I am. I am Yours – chosen, sanctified, present, graced, given Your peace . . . all in abundance. Help me access these. Breathe into me Your living hope.
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© 2026: Connie F. Dunmyer, All Rights Reserved.