“Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” 1 Peter 1:8-9 NIV
We are officially in the Lenten season. This is the time when we as Christians can take the opportunity to focus more intently on what Christ gave up during those 40 days in the wilderness at the beginning of His ministry and then ultimately on the cross. Lent ends on Maundy Thursday, when we remember the last meal that Jesus had with His disciples. The next day, Good Friday, we remember the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus made for each and every one of us.
At the moment that Jesus breathed His last breath on the cross and ended His time here on earth, His mother and all those who believed in Him and loved Him, grieved. They believed that they would never see Him again, talk with Him again, spend time with Him. They were surprised on the 3rd day when He appeared to them alive. They were struggling to believe that He was going to rise after His death even after He told them Himself. They completely believed and trusted Him once they saw Him in His resurrected body.
Peter was one of them, he had walked with Jesus, talked with Jesus, shared meals with Jesus, had listened and believed in Jesus for 3 years. So as he wrote this letter, he knew those he was writing to had not had that privilege. If they chose to believe in Christ they would be doing it without having ever seen Him. That is what faith is. John recorded in John 20:29, Jesus saying that “…Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed”.
Even though you don’t see Him in person here on earth, do you believe? I pray that you do.