3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 4 and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice,[a] even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials,
Reflection
“Do you have a reservation?” asked the maitre de. We must have looked confused, as the website said that they didn’t take any reservations. Later we would wait for almost two hours as a sea of people would come and go before us.
And I thought of a special spot, reserved just for me in another place and time.
Within this scripture it reads, we are given lasting “inheritance that cannot perish”. We are born again, set apart and offered a new place in heaven. No matter what, we are born again through water and the Spirit and saved by God’s grace!
Some may say, “When was I born again?” Others may know the precise date and time that they felt rescued by God and offered that special place. In reality, we do not have to have had a notable experience to be born again. You do not have to be re-baptized. In the Methodist Church, we believe that one baptism is enough.
We also believe that as children of God, we only need to profess our faith in God to accept this reservation. Other times, we may ask, “How is it that God has reserved a special place for me?”
When we are young, often our parents do this for us and later, as confirmands, we are given the chance to choose to profess our faith. But even before we are cognizant of who God is, or who we are to God, our Lord has saved a special place just for us.
Think about it. There is a special place for each of us in heaven. You did nothing to deserve this reservation — one was made for you– before you were ever born. The road getting there may be long and full of surprises, both good and bad, but that reservation is there with your name on it. So blessed be our God! Blessed be our Lord Jesus because it is through God’s mercy that we are offered a place in paradise. That is a reservation that is always open for you.
by Barbara Carlson
For Pondering & Prayer
What are your thoughts about heaven and God holding a reservation in your name?
Prayer:
Gracious God, I know you have reserved a special place for me in heaven with you. Even though there are days when my faith is tested, I know that you have prepared a way for me. May I always be thankful and never take such a gift for granted. Blessed be your holy name. Amen.
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