Hope Series Episode 7

Hope Series Episode 7

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But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. 1 Peter 3:15

Hello, my walking friend! I want to tell you how awesome it is that you are taking some time to go for a walk. I know, that sounds kind of silly, but that is how I feel at this moment as I sit here thinking about you squeezing out some minutes from your busy day to walk – and not just walk, but walk with the intention of drawing closer to Jesus. Way to go!

Today is the 7th episode in the hope series and our verse to meditate on is 1 Peter 3:15:
But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.

My walking friend, have you ever considered what it means to be ready with an answer to anyone who asks you why you have hope? If you are thinking about this now for the first time, let’s start with the very first line of this verse:
“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord”:
You see, the foundation of our faith lies in recognizing Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. It’s not just about acknowledging Him with our lips, but truly honoring Him in our hearts. When we revere Christ as Lord, we surrender our lives to Him, acknowledging His authority and lordship over all aspects of our existence. You won’t be ready to give anyone an answer for the hope that you have until you have settled, deep in your mind, heart, and soul this issue of surrender and making Jesus Christ your Savior AND Lord.

The next part of the verse is “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have”.
As followers of Christ, our lives should be marked by hope, even in challenging circumstances. This hope is not wishful thinking, but a confident expectation in God’s promises and His faithfulness. Peter encourages us to be ready to share this hope when others inquire about it. People around us might be curious or perplexed by our peace and resilience amidst life’s trials. Well, at least they should be, right? After all, we are a living testimony of God’s love and faithfulness! Now, I get it, friend, it isn’t always easy to be a pillar of peace in the middle of a terrible storm. Lord knows that I haven’t always been a good witness. But this is part of our faith journey. When you are on a journey, you are moving, ultimately you are going somewhere. And for those of us who call Jesus our Lord, we should be moving toward a deep faith and trust in him, a strong belief in his promises and his word. When we are living in God’s promises, our light will shine and we will be presented with opportunities to share the source of our hope – which is our faith in Jesus Christ.

And finally, the verse says, “But do this with gentleness and respect”:
Here comes the essential reminder of how we should engage in sharing our faith. Peter emphasizes that our responses should be characterized by gentleness and respect. In a world filled with diverse beliefs and opinions, it’s crucial for us to approach conversations about faith with humility and love. Rather than being forceful or argumentative, we should seek to communicate with understanding and compassion.

Now let’s take a little time to meditate on today’s verse,
1 Peter 3:15:
But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.

You are now at the halfway point of your walk. If you need to be back in 10 minutes, this would be the time to turn around and head back.

The second half of our walk is an opportunity for reflection, meditation, and prayer. For many of us, myself included, this might feel challenging. But the spiritual rewards, and transformation, that come from developing this discipline is great and so is the power of the Holy Spirit to help us. So let’s start with some questions that will guide you in the process of reflection.

Has anyone ever asked you why you had hope during a difficult situation or season of life? If so, how did you respond? If not, consider how you would respond if asked.

How does it make you feel to know that Jesus has appointed you to reflect him to the people in your world?

What does it mean to you to be a follower of Jesus?

Now let’s listen to today’s verse one last time: 1 Peter 3:15:
But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.

Is there anything else you would like to talk to Jesus about? Anything going on in your life? Remember he is right there with you, walking with you, and he is eager for you to share all that is on your heart and mind with him. Take some time to talk to him now.

Now I am going to pray for us:
Dear Jesus,
Forgive me when I haven’t been a good witness of your love to those around me. Holy Spirit, replace my troubled spirit with yours, a spirit filled with peace, hope, and love. Renew my mind with your truths that you love me and that you are with me always. Remind me I am a traveler on this planet, passing through until I arrive at my destination, which is with you in heaven. As I travel through this life, Jesus, help me show your love to others. Let me handle situations in a way that reflects the hope I have in you. And, by the power of the Holy Spirit, let me boldly proclaim, with love and gentleness, that you are the one true hope for every soul. I love you, Jesus, and I thank you for walking with me always. Amen.

Well, my walking friend, you did it! Another 10 minutes of walking and another opportunity to build the spiritual discipline of prayer and quiet time with Jesus, the reason for our hope. I’m grateful for you and I’m grateful you took the time to walk with me today.

For more Walk with Jesus resources, including the Walk with Jesus 21 day scripture, devotional, and guided prayer journal book for walkers, go to WalkWithJesusDevotional.com. You will find the URL for the show notes for this podcast in the episode description.

I hope we can walk together again tomorrow, friend, as we continue meditating on Biblical hope. Until then, God bless you as you walk with Jesus.