“The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray.” (1 Peter 4:7 NIV)
When Peter looks to the future, he is not thinking only about the coming judgment. That is just one aspect of God’s plan that will bring “all things” to their appointed destiny. Jesus Christ will return to create a new earth. There will no longer be any place for sin, pain, or death. What a wonderful prospect—especially for believers who are currently suffering persecution!
With this future in mind, Peter urges his readers to be “alert.” They must keep a clear mind in order to discern what is important, true, and good. They must also be “of sober mind”. Prayer plays an important role in this. If you want to keep seeing things from the perspective of God’s glorious future, you will need to keep turning your attention back to Him.
Peter says that the end of all things is “near.” In the meantime, nearly two thousand years have passed, which means that God’s future has come even closer now than in Peter’s day. Do you seriously take into account that God’s new world is coming? How does that shape your view of life and of the future?