It Lasts Forever

Many of us probably feasted on traditional turkey dinners with all the trimmings on Thanksgiving Day, and now we are eating leftovers.

Some may also have used Thanksgiving Day as a time to think of material blessings—and to be thankful for them. And now we can be thankful for leftovers!

Life would be tough without God's blessings—including necessities, leftovers, and even some of our luxuries. But there is another blessing we should remember during the Thanksgiving season: In his great mercy he [God] has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. (I Pet. 1:3b NIV)

This blessing is more important than food, shelter, clothing—or any of the less vital, but enjoyable benefits of comfortable living. Although the new birth cannot be touched or seen, it will last forever.

God gives the new birth as a spiritual feast to all who come to Him, and we never grow tired of it as we do with physical food. There will always be enough to satisfy us over and over. The new birth is an eternal blessing that offers consistent hope and joy, an inheritance can never perish, spoil or fade. . . . (v. 4a) It comes to us directly from God—and will be with us when other blessings fail.

Originally published Novemer 25, 1988.

Picture: Potted plant on deck, 2008. Photo by Solveig.

A Living Hope

When Nicodemus came with questions in the night, Jesus said to him, unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (Jn. 3:3b NIV)

Nicodemus did not understand the idea of being born again. And he did not understand that spiritual life is a gift.

But in the Old Testament, God had revealed this truth through the prophet Ezekiel. God said He would remove sin and place a fresh, clean heart and spirit in people who turn to Him. (Ezekiel 36)

Receiving a new heart is equivalent to being born again. But Nicodemus either had not learned or did not understand Ezekiel’s prophecy. He did not know that God gives new hearts—and that they cannot be earned. New hearts come by grace through faith.

Peter called the transformation that occurs when a person receives a new heart a new birth into a living hope. (I Pet. 1:3a) When we receive Jesus, He brings His life. We are born again. We experience a new birth. And we walk in a living hope because He lives within us.

Originally published July 29, 1983.