I feel compelled to study 1 Peter, slowly. The first few verses are so weighty, so profound, so full of practical theological implications for my family and so many of our friends who are suffering in some form or fashion right now.

"Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ ..."

Peter proclaims his apostolic authority from the get-go.

"To the ... elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied."

I see the Godhead -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit -- represented here as the single driving force in the process of election according to His foreknowledge. I see the tri-relational God, Yahweh, intimately involved in His saints' election, for "salvation ready to be revealed in the last time" (vs. 5).

The thought of a truly sovereign Lord is deeply comforting, especially right now. A God who in His sovereignty responded to Moses' request, in Exodus 33, to "show me your glory," by saying "I will proclaim the name of Yahweh before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion." That God is big!

The glory of God is intrinsic to His sovereignty.

To that I say, "Yes, JESUS!"