Ransomed

I Peter 1:17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you…  21^a who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.  [ [I Peter 1:17-21 ESV]

>§§§>

“Call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile…”  My vague understanding of “exile” and it’s connection to fear has become more real as the days of coronavirus have turned into weeks and now months.  Days have been filled with images and circumstances that must not be wasted.  These days of isolation have not been meant as punishment but as protection to provide physical distance from the reality of death our eyes and ears have experienced.  Distance doesn’t help much with emotional relief.  Emotional relief requires more than man alone can accomplish.  

“19 But he [God] paid for [ransomed] you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. 20 God chose him for this purpose [emotional relief] long before the world began, but only recently was he brought into public view, in these last days, as a blessing to you. 21^aBecause of this, your trust can be in God who raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory. Now your faith and hope can rest in him alone.” [I Peter 1:19-21 TLB]