Until Then, Let Grace Keep Flowing

1 Peter 4:8–10
And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves… Use hospitality one to another without grudging. As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

Thought:
Placed together, these verses give us a picture of how we are called to live until Jesus returns. Peter reminds us that the end of all things is at hand and in that context he does not tell us to hide, to argue, or to chase earthly greatness. He tells us to love deeply, to open our lives in hospitality, and to serve faithfully with the gifts God has given. Above all things the church is to be a group of redeemed people where the grace of God is not only believed but seen and felt. Our love is to be stretched, our hearts are to be open, and our hands are to be busy in service because Christ has poured His grace upon us.

This means that every day until He comes is another opportunity to let grace move through us. There will still be offenses that tempt us to harden our hearts, interruptions that test our willingness to be hospitable, and comparisons that threaten our stewardship. In those moments we must remember where grace found us. God did not meet us at our best, but in our need. He did not measure out His kindness according to our worthiness. He lavished His love on us in Christ. As we wait for His return, we are called to mirror that same grace in our homes, our churches, and our relationships. Ask yourself today, and in the days to come, whether grace stops with you or whether it continues through you as a living testimony that Jesus is Lord and that His gospel is real.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You for the rich grace You have shown me. Thank You for the call to love deeply, to welcome others gladly, and to serve faithfully with what You have placed in my hands. As I look toward Your coming, do not let my heart grow cold or my service grow weary. Help me to live every day as a channel of Your grace, extending forgiveness, kindness, and compassion just as You have done for me. Strengthen me to be faithful until the end, so that in all things God may be glorified through You. In the name of Jesus, amen.