Read 1 PETER 1:22–25

One joy in the autumn season in many parts of the United States is seeing the changing colors of the leaves. Cars filled with “leaf peepers” drive through New England or along the Blue Ridge Parkway, hoping to catch the peak moment of a landscape awash in red, orange, and golden leaves.

The most beautiful panorama of leaves won’t last, however. Eventually the leaves will fall, winter will come, and the colors shift to a muted palette of gray and white. Most things in life change: children grow, relationships ebb and flow, seasons pass, loved ones die. But the promises and Word of our God do not wither or fade or change (vv. 24–25). The absolute trustworthiness of God should shape our relationships.

We’ve already explored the Father- child relationship that we enjoy with God. But our salvation also affects our relationships with each other. As we grow in holiness and obedience, we also grow in our ability to love others (v. 22; see 1 John 3:11). This love results from our new birth, our new hope, and our new identity in Jesus. There’s a sense here of God’s love pouring into our lives, transforming us, and then overflowing into the way that we live in love with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

The command to love each other also requires our humility and grace. We can’t obey this command because we are perfect but because God is perfect. We don’t obey this command because other people are reliable but because God is reliable. We can love others, even when they fail or disappoint us, because the foundation of this love is the gospel—God’s expression of love for us (v. 25). His love and His promise will never fail or fade; gloriously, they endure forever.

APPLY THE WORD

Appreciating God’s creation can be a helpful way to focus our attention and worship toward Him. When you notice the changing colors as the season changes from autumn to winter, praise Him for His unchanging Word. If you plant bulbs this fall, thank Him that your new birth in Jesus is from imperishable seed that is guaranteed to blossom for an eternity.

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