Friday, February 23: 1 Peter 3:18-22
We are not so special that Christ died for our sins only. He died once for all – one time – for the righteous and for the unrighteous, to bring us all to God.
The author says that Noah and the other few people were saved through water. Now water symbolizes baptism that we all receive. We are saved by the resurrection of Jesus Christ who has gone to heaven and is seated at His Father’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to Him.
I am reminded of a story I heard long ago. It is about a little boy who worked very hard building a little sailboat. He was so proud of it when he was finished. Carrying it carefully in his arms, he walked to the lake near his home. Slowly, he lowered it into the water and gleefully watched it as it sailed along the water. Before long, he lost sight of it. He ran along the edge of the lake, desperately searching for it but to no avail. Broken-hearted, he told his parents what had happened. They loved him and tried to console him, telling him that someone might have found it and would return it to him.
Each day he walked near the lake, searching for his boat. He glanced at the little shop windows near the lake. Suddenly, he spotted a little sailboat in a window. He could hardly believe it. It was his boat! Excitedly, he burst into the shop and told the manager that it was his boat—that he had made it himself. He pulled out the coins from his pocket and handed them to the manager. Smiling, the manager took the boat from the window and put it into the boy’s hands. The boy was so thankful that he wrapped his arms around the boat and kissed it. He whispered to the boat, “Twice you are mine. First, I made you and, second, I bought you back.”
I can imagine that this is how God feels when we put Him in reserve until we need Him and then come to the realization that He loves us so much that He gave up His Son on the cross and took our sins away.
Prayer: Father, we thank You that You are patient with us as we try sometimes to manage our lives and forget that You have a plan for each of us and will show us the way. We thank You that You love us and will carry us in Your arms through all the worrisome times in our lives and that You bring us joy in our relationships with You. Amen.