Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has
given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the
dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is
kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the
coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you
greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all
kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith — of
greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire — may result in
praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen
him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and
are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of
your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Gracious Lord and loving Father,
We come before you this morning so grateful to be able to spend time in prayer with you, to praise and worship you and to bring our petitions to you. In your mercy you have provided a way of salvation for us through the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. We share the hope of enjoying an eternal inheritance when it is our time to be with you. For all of your people here and everywhere in the world, this brings such joy and comfort that we are able to come through sickness and trials scarred but not defeated, worn down but not despairing, still able to experience peace and calm amidst the storm. Continue to strengthen us in the faith and prepare us for the days to come, whether they be good or bad, so that we may truly honour you and bring glory to your name. Forgive us when we fail and turn inward. Help us to keep our eyes on Jesus and the coming glory. We thank you for loving us, for showing us the way to live and for the joy of our salvation and glorious life to come.
In Christ’s name. AMEN.