A Prayer about Preparing for Eternal Glory

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 1 Peter 5:10

Glorious Father,

We confess, 

we don’t often enough tear ourselves away 

from the busy demands of this world 

to think of the eternal glory just beyond. 

After all, we have baby showers we have to attend, 

emails we to answer, 

yards to mow.

What do we even mean by eternal glory?

Eternal glory is that to which we have been called, 

by “the God of all grace” “in Christ” (1 Peter 5:10). 

Eternal glory is the future glory “to be revealed in us” 

after “the sufferings of this present time” (Rom. 8:18). 

Eternal glory is that for which 

we and all of creation “groan inwardly” as we “wait eagerly” (Rom. 8:23).

Eternal glory is the glory for which 

the sufferings of this world prepare us. 

Eternal glory is so weighty 

that it will one day prove our sufferings 

to have been as light as a feather (2 Cor. 4:17-18).

In one sense, of course, we have already inherited this eternal glory 

if we are in Christ: “….those whom he justified he also glorified” (Rom. 8:30). 

And yet, our glory’s full fruition awaits the day of Christ’s return: 

“When Christ who is your life appears, 

then you will also appear with him in glory” (Col. 3:3).

Oh, Lord, draw our minds to contemplate the joys 

that await us in eternal glory, 

that we might live every day in anticipation of it.

In Jesus’ glorious name. Amen.

Read Romans 8:18-30; 1 Peter 5:6-11.