Daily Devotions
1 Peter
"Gird up the loins of your mind"
Text: 1 Peter 1:13
GIRDING UP
The phrase “gird up” may not be a familiar phrase today. But in the New Testament days it was well-understood.
“Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober,
and rest your hope fully upon the grace
that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
1 Peter 1:13
1. “Therefore”
a) The word “therefore” is an inferential particle.
b) Peter had made a strong case for a vibrant faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:1-12).
c) It was now time to respond appropriately to the faith that we have in Christ.
2. “Gird up”
a) In the New Testament days, when a person is ready to go out into the streets, he is
well girded up!
b) If he is at home, he may loosen his belt and be relaxed in the comfort of his home.
c) To gird up means:
i) To belt up.
ii) To be ready.
iii) To be prepared for action.
3. “The loins of your mind”
a) The mind is involved.
b) The mind must brace itself and be prepared:
i) For possible suffering.
ii) For tribulation.
iii) For fiery trials as the case may be.
4. “Be sober”
a) It means to be in control.
b) There is to be no panic.
5. “And rest your hope fully”
a) Faith gives rise to hope.
b) Hope must be exercised fully (completely).
6. “The grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ”
a) What may we rest on fully (entirely)?
b) The answer is simply “the grace of God”.
i) It was grace that brought about salvation.
ii) It would be grace that would sustain us through tribulation.
c) The grace that God would bring to us.
i) The Lord would bring His grace to us in our hour of need.
ii) This grace would keep us till the revelation of the Lord Jesus.
iii) This is a reference to the Second Coming of Christ.
d) Our challenge is to learn:
i) To believe in the sufficiency of God’s grace.
ii) To trust in the efficiency of His grace.
iii) We need to learn how to “rest fully” on God’s grace amidst tribulation.