Many old timers will remember the man known as "old blue eyes."  Frank Sinatra once sang a song entitled "High Hopes."  Here are part of the lyrics: "Next time you're found, with your chin on the ground; there is a lot to be learned, so look around--Just what makes that little old ant, think he'll move that rubber tree plant...Anyone knows an ant can't move a rubber tree plant.  But he's got High Hopes, he's got High Hopes, He's got high apple pie, in the sky hopes!" 

 

The passage in 1 Peter can be summarized in the same way.  As life gets difficult, Christians should have high hopes.  After all, God is able to do all things!  Peter realizes that new Christians are facing difficult hardships, and wants to keep them encouraged.  Our hopes can only be "high" if grace abounds.  We have high hopes because God's grace continues to send us blessings that we have not earned and do not deserve.

 

We can also accomplish great things though Jesus Christ that strengthens us.  We should stop thinking on a small scale and set our hopes high.  High hopes lead to great accomplishments.

 

The Christians that Peter was speaking to were under tremendous adversity.  Many of them were about to loose their Faith.  Peter wanted them to know that quitters never win.  He told them to gird up their loins of their minds, and be sober.  In other words, they were to pull themselves together while they were hoping for better things to happen.

 

The song goes on to say: "So any time You're getting low, instead of letting go, Just remember that ant....oops there goes another rubber tree plant!"   Let us greet each day with high hopes, believing that we can accomplish great things for the Kingdom of God.