20 Feb March 17th Daily Devotion

 A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON PETER’S SECOND LETTER  

FAITH IS PRECIOUS

2 Peter 1:1 “Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours . . . “

The James edition of The Journal posted on the internet an article about the most expensive things you can purchase on-line.  The sub-title of the article: “From $100,000 to $87,000,000: 10 Unique gifts for those who have everything.”  Items included a $9-million diamond ring and a $4-million Ferrari 550 GT1. The article went on to say, “Sotheby’s and Christie’s reported record successes in online auctions of their multi-million dollar high-jewelry sales. Bloomberg informed us that the online resale market of luxury goods also soared as wealthy buyers went on a “spending spree . . .”

Peter wrote in the opening verse of his second letter to dispersed Christians, that his faith was precious as was the faith of the recipients of his letter.  The difference between what was precious in the Journal article and what Peter wrote cannot be quantified in USD. (United States Dollars.)  Even Eighty-Seven million dollars cannot purchase faith in Jesus Christ.

The faith you have is priceless.  Yet, God has “freely” given it to you out of His great love for you.  Imagine, the faith you possess is beyond what all the money in the world can purchase.  Musk’s billions are not enough!  Neither are Mark Zuckerberg’s.

One of the dictionary definitions for the word precious is it is something that must be treated carefully.  Precious diamonds are kept in safes.  Precious patented formulas upon which the financial success of a company depends must be kept in the most secure environment.  The precious faith God has given you is personal for sure.  Yet, God intends you not lock it up in a safe.  He wants you to speak about it to the ends of the earth, reveal to the world how you received it, and share it with family, friend, and foe alike.

This is what Jesus says about the preciousness of your faith, “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?  If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when He comes in His Father’s glory with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:36-38)

Prayer:  Dear Father, thank you for your gift of faith in Jesus Christ which is precious, beyond anything this world can give me.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

I leave all things in God’s direction;

He loves me both in joy and woe.

His will is good, sure His affection; His tender love is true, I know.  My fortress and my rock is He:  What pleases God,

that pleases me.

God knows what must be done to save me;

His love for me will never cease Upon His hands He did engrave me With purest gold of loving grace.  His will supreme must ever be:  What pleases God, that pleases me.

My God desires the soul’s salvation;

My soul He too, desires to save.

Therefore with Christian resignation

All earthly troubles I will brave.  His will be done eternally:

What pleases God, that pleases me.

My God has all things in His keeping;

He is the ever faithful friend.

He gives me laughter after weeping,

And all His ways in blessings end.  His love endures eternally:  What pleases God, that pleases me.

(LSB 719)