And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. 1 Peter 5:4 (NIV)
When Peter talks about a crown, he is talking about a symbol of honor. Way back in the Old Testament, God said, “Those who honor me I will honor” (1 Sam. 2:30). In other words, the one who serves Christ well in this life will be highly honored in the presence of God for all eternity.
Peter takes up this theme again in verse 10 where he speaks of “the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ.” God calls all His followers, the whole flock of Christ, to share the brightness and splendor of His immediate presence for all eternity.
Of course, it took the death and the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ to open the way, but this is where the Christian life ultimately leads. This is our destiny.
When God’s work in you is complete, you will be in glory, and God’s glory will be in you. It’s not just that you will be surrounded by the brightness and splendor of God’s immediate presence. Rather, the brightness and splendor of God will be reflected in us, as well. That’s why the Bible says, “When he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2).
God will bring you though everything you face from here to there. The greatest trials of your life are passages on this journey to this eternal destiny. There is peace, because whatever the difficulties of your life, you know that this is the outcome.
Think about your destiny and the destiny for all those who are in Jesus Christ.
