“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11 To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.12 With the help of Silas, whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it.13 She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark. 14 Greet one another with a kiss of love.Peace to all of you who are in Christ.” NIV

‘All grace is in God for every hour and need, v.10. We too are called to his eternal glory through Christ. The path of suffering, and that path alone, leads to the world where suffering is unknown. The suffering is only for a little while.’ F.B. Meyer, ‘Devotional Commentary’, p.617.

‘No matter what our situation, no matter what our need, God’s grace is sufficient for us.’ Tom Hale: ‘Applied New Testament Commentary’, p.922. This is such a helpful comment, don’t you think, as we live in these uncertain times.

We sometimes forget that God is in the little details as well as the big things It could be easy to miss the significance of the reference to Mark in (13). But Mark wrote the very first gospel, and it is thought that Peter is the eye-witness behind his account. As Peter wrote his letter from ‘Babylon’ (Rome), Mark was with him.

Looking at the very last line, we can call to mind the words of Jesus:

‘’Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to your as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid’ (John 14:27).

Oswald Chambers said, ‘When God gives me a vision of the truth, there is never a question of what He will do, but only of what I will do.’

As our readings in 1 Peter come to a close, may I ask, ‘What has God shown you?’ And, ‘What will you do about it?’