Seeing is believing

1 Peter 1:8-9 You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.

Not many people have had the privilege of seeing Jesus in the flesh, face to face while on the earth. Across the population of the world for the last 2000 years this must constitute a tiny percentage. Even fewer had the opportunity to speak with Him. Only 12 people in the history of time had the opportunity to walk and talk with Him almost continuously for 3 years of his life. To hear Him teach publicly and discuss privately. To see the power of His miracles, the gentleness of His approach, the strength of His resolve, the compassion of His heart and the devotion of His life. To see Him beaten, tried and executed. To meet Him in His resurrection body and see the holes in His hands. To see Him ascent to heaven. What a privilege.

Peter did all these things. He couldn't mistake the reality of who Jesus was. "You are the Christ the son of the living God" was his confession. Peter knew this reality because of what he saw, what he experienced, what he heard. He had received the great commission. How could he not believe? No wonder he speaks specifically to commend those of us who were not in this privileged few. "Though we have not seen him we love him. Though we don't see him now we believe in him."

Hear Peter's commendation to us. His wonder and his praise of our faith. Not to make us big headed or proud but as an eternal brother saying "Wow! You haven't even seen Jesus, but you love him and believe in him". And in that belief we receive a great reward. The salvation of our souls. The thing even Angels long to look into.

Angels cannot be saved. Its a process they can never experience. They have nothing to be forgiven of. And those that fell, that do need God's forgiveness, will never experience His grace. That's why Angels long to look into this. In a similar way although we will never experience Peter's physical encounter with Jesus on this earth I sense he was in awe of our experience. To never see Jesus and still love Him. To never see Him and still believe. What a faith! What a reward!

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