November 17

Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours: — 2 Pet 1:1 BSB

What an incredible thought it is that if you and I have even a small measure of living faith, that same precious grace is in our hearts as it was in the hearts of all God’s saints—starting with Abel, the first martyr, through all the saints of the Old Testament, the prophets, martyrs, servants, and apostles of God. This faith will continue to exist in the heart of every saint until the end of time. There is only “one faith,” just as there is “one God, one Lord, and one baptism.” And it is by sharing this “precious faith” that all of God’s family is united into one glorious body, with the risen Lord Jesus Christ as its Head. You may feel poor and needy because faith often makes us aware of our neediness and unworthiness. You may think you’re unworthy of God’s attention. But if the Holy Spirit has placed even one grain of living faith in your soul, you are standing on the same ground as the saints, apostles, prophets, and martyrs. You are just as “accepted in the Beloved,” just as loved by God, and just as much a member of Christ’s body as Peter, Paul, Enoch, Abel, Isaiah, or any of the prophets.