7 The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. 8 Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Be hospitable to one another without complaint. 10 As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4:7-11)
Peter has asked us to be serious and disciplined for the purpose of prayer. When the end of times is closing in, many things could become very distracting. They will take away our attention from prayers or shift our focus when we pray.
Nowadays we have too many things which could distract us. When the phone rings, most of the time, it is not a call from a friend. The phone rings for many messages to demand our attention. The message could be some irrelevant news, ads, or just plain scams. They are all fighting to get my attention. When I pray, I may turn down the phone but we have more than phone ringing in my heart. There could be tons of work waiting for me or some unfinished business form yesterday. It could even be an unfinished episode from Netflix. They are all fighting for my attention. However, prayer requires my undivided attention. So Peter admonish us treat prayer seriously and with discipline. Prayer should be a serious time and a sacred moment. So I should treat prayer time with a serious manner. I have to discipline myself to make a habit, a sacred habit. If not, I may not be able to focus myself at this tumultuous end time. Then I lost the blessing in prayers.
Then Peter tops it off with “Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another.” Peter here is echoing John’s heart. Peter’s focus is love in end time. Love is exceptionally important because there is just not much time to correct the wrongs. Love is accepting the sinners! Love looks beyond the sinners. Love looks at the sin sick soul who has done wrongs and take the s inner back into the fold. Covering sin does not mean cover up sins. Covering sins means not to let sin continues to spread its effects. By loving the sinners gives them a new chance.