He Is Our Living Hope

because of God’s mercy toward us, we have a living hope in JesuS.

By: Stephen Ready, interim head of school

Perimeter School is off to a great start! It has been great to see all the smiling faces of kids (and some very happy parents, too!) walking through the building. One week down, many to go!

As a staff, we have been reading, studying, and will begin memorizing 1 Peter 1:3-9,13-21 this year. We would love for you to join us in that pursuit as well. These verses have been timely for us, and we have seen God reveal things to us in His Word that have built our faith and caused our love for Him to grow. Here are just a couple of thoughts for you as you read and learn with us:

He Is Our Living Hope

“…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…”

The hope that we have in Jesus is a living one. It is not empty. It is not just a dream. It’s not even a “if we work hard enough, maybe it will come true” kind of hope.

The Bible’s assurance to us is that because of God’s mercy toward us, we have a living hope in Jesus.

Why does that matter? I think we all sense, on a daily basis, our inadequacies and our need for someone to make things right … because we certainly can’t. Jesus offers us a living hope that, through trial, failure, and our shortcomings, promises us that we have His righteousness and His inheritance. It is a sure thing. A living hope.

“…who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time…”

Not only do we possess a living hope, but our hope is guaranteed and protected by the power of God. This brings to mind the truths found in Romans 8, which I’m sure you’ve heard before: 

“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Why can’t we be separated from God? Why is our hope living? It is protected by the very power of God. He who made everything by the word of His power is the same one who holds your salvation. I believe that God would want us to experience His peace through believing and resting in this truth. No matter what lies ahead this year, our living hope is Christ, and the power of God protects us.

“…Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ…”

With our hope set on Christ and our inheritance protected by the power of God, Peter says to get ready for action. The freedom we experience because of these two truths means that our minds can be clear and we can be about the work of kingdom flourishing.

My hope and prayer are that as we believe God and His Word in these areas, He would begin to show us how to engage with our families and the world to bring about kingdom change. I’m excited to see all that God might want to do in and through Perimeter School staff, children, and families this year with our hope securely set on Him.

Know that we are praying for you this year. We’re praying that God would do immeasurably more than we could ask or imagine because of His great power within us.