August 16
The Final Farewell:
Grace and Peace
1 Peter 5:14
Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ.
Daily Steps
This final, simple benediction brings the entire devotional journey full circle. After exploring the grand themes of redemption, suffering, and the New Home, the series concludes by anchoring the new believer in the simplicity of love and the comprehensive nature of Christ's final gift: Peace to all of you who are in Christ.
The peace in this certainty is found in community and final inclusion:
The Command for Love: The instruction to "Greet one another with a kiss of love" reminds the new believer that Christian peace must be practical, relational, and demonstrated within the community (Sincere Love, Day 217). The peace you seek must be shared with your brothers and sisters (Day 161).
The Universal Blessing: The final blessing is absolute and universal: "Peace to all of you who are in Christ." This confirms that the comprehensive peace described throughout the year (Peace with God, Peace in Suffering, Peace in the Future) is guaranteed to every person whose identity is secured in Christ (The Unfailing Assurance, Day 222).
The Result is Conclusion: This final word, Peace, summarizes the goal of this entire devotional. It is the destination, the prize (The Crown of Righteousness, Day 224), and the perpetual state of the believer. It is the final, tender farewell that sends the believer forward with tranquility and hope.
Your final peace is secured by your position in Christ. Go forward with love for others, resting in the final, comprehensive blessing: Peace to all of you who are in Christ.
Reflective Question
Reflecting on this final verse, who is one person in your life you can intentionally extend a greeting of love and practical peace to today? How does the phrase "who are in Christ" provide the final, unshakeable assurance that this peace is permanent?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I thank You for concluding this devotional journey. I pray for the strength to greet one another with a kiss of love and to always live in harmony with my community.
I receive the final blessing and rest in the truth: Peace to all of me who is in Christ. Secure my final peace today and forever in the identity I have found in Your Son. Amen.
