1 Peter 4:7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray.
Peter finally gets to the motivation for enduring suffering: the end is near. This has been a strong incentive for believers since the early church. We live with a sense of expectation that Jesus will come again. This realization should have impact us in several ways. First, simply we live in hope that the suffering we experience in this life is temporary. This life is a form of testing grounds that develops our faith through challenging times. Second, we must be clear headed and wise. There are many things in this world that are deceitful and tempt us to compromise our convictions and standards. There are also many choices we must make about the gray areas, things that are not always morally black and white. We must study God’s word and be in fellowship with wise believers so that we know how to deal with those situations. Third, because we live in a fallen world and are weak ourselves, we must learn to trust in God more. Peter puts it as “so that you may pray.” If we are too caught up in the world around us, we may become distracted and not spend time in prayer. Awareness is the companion and feeder for wisdom. Apathy leads to disinterest and weakness. So we must prepare ourselves, each day. We may not think about Jesus’ return each day, but regular worship, particularly the Lord’s Supper, will help us with this reminder.
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