1 Peter 1:6-12

“Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.”

“Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.”

In Genesis 24, Abraham sent out his servant with ten camels (the ancient equivalent of ten u-haul trucks)  that were loaded down with treasures. The servant had one task: find a wife for Abraham’s son, Isaac. Talk about a job with high expectations! Finding a woman, that would be easy, but finding a good woman who would make a great wife, now that was a task. And so the servant set out to accomplish this great task. The story continues that Providence actually brought a girl, named Rebekah, across the servant’s path. Soon the servant was eating dinner with her family and getting to know more about her. Finally, the servant unloaded the gifts from the camels and made the proposal for his master’s son. I imagine that there would have been a lot of gold, and silver, and jewels, and nice clothes on ten camels. The servant told her of his wisdom, and how handsome he was, and how he was a man of God, and that she truly would be very happy with him…oh, yeah, and he was an only child (which meant he was loaded!!). So she agreed, and hopped on one of the camels and rode off into the sunset to meet the one that even though she had not met, she absolutely had fallen in love with.
When I read 1 Peter 1:8, I always think of this story. Jesus, like Isaac, the only son of His Father, has a great inheritance that He wants to share with us. He loved us so much that He evidenced that love by dying for us. Now He calls us to see the grace and forgiveness, “the joy unspeakable, and full of glory” that He offers and to accept His offer by faith. This is Jesus, whom having not seen, we can absolutely love. Like Rebekah, we may not have seen His face yet, but we would have to be completely blind in order to miss all the things He has done for us and now offers us through faith in Him. Now in anticipation, we can look forward to the day when like Rebekah, we will finally meet the one Who has done so much for us.

Food for thought: Who is it that we love even though we haven’t seen? Why can we love Him?