Peter the apostle told the
“scattered” Christians they should “speak as the
oracles of God”, and in chapter four and verse twelve of his
letter Peter shares with them concerning “the fiery trial”
where we read:
Beloved, think it not
strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you,
as though some strange
thing happened unto you:
The verse begins, “Beloved,
think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try
you,...” Peter began with the
word, “Beloved”
which means “esteemed, dear, favorite and worthy of love”, “think
it not strange” which in Greek
is “xenizō mē xenizō” which
means “surprising or
astonishing by the strangeness and novelty of a thing” “concerning
the” or “pertaining to you”
“the “fiery trial”
or “burning by which metals are roasted and reduced and calamities
or trials that test the character” “which is to try
you” or “experiment with,
attempt, try and prove you”. When the Christians faced “burning
calamities” which would test their character, they were not to be
astonished or surprised by them.
The
verse continues, “...as though some strange thing happened unto
you:” Peter added, “as though some strange thing”
which is the Greek word “xenos” and means “alien,
without knowledge of, new and unheard” “happened” or
“come together, near, at the same time, turned out and come to
pass” “unto you” which refers to the “scattered”
Christians. The Christians were not to think it “new or unheard”
when these “trials” came into their lives.
When we
think about Peter's words, we may be able to identify with the idea
of “fiery trials”, however we may wonder “why does this
happen to me” rather than not thinking it “strange”. The
Lord Jesus would have us know that everyone goes through “burning”
trials, and this is not something that has never be experienced
before. When we face “fiery trials”, we must understand
they are to “try” or reveal our “character”, and should we
pass or fail our “trial”, we will begin to know that God
is still working upon all of us. May He continue and complete the
work He has begun in us.
Next
time Peter tells the Christians they should “rejoice
inasmuch as” they
“are partakers of Christ's sufferings”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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