1 Peter: Is everything going to God's plan?

 Well, I had a random burst of inspiration to write some devotional content on this page. I had been plotting out a series in 1 Peter for a short while, then got busy. I don't think I'll ever stop using that excuse, but I won't go there. So, here we go. 

1 Peter 1:1-2

"Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, 

To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for the sprinkling with his blood: 

May grace and peace be multiplied to you."

It's difficult to find a starting point with these verses. There is such a profound amount of trinitarian theology involved regarding salvation and the plan of God for the lives of His followers that we could spend weeks parsing each word/phrase and have a tough time running out of content. 

Here is some small truth we can grab on to. In this strange season of pandemic, restrictions, and separation, there is this one truth: God is still in control.

The last year has been a wild ride. At the start of the pandemic, we had "pastors" declaring judgment on Covid 19, "prophets" claiming that Donal Trump was, essentially, the prodigal president/anointed president of God. Although I believe that God puts who He wants to in any office of leadership, I really don't believe that he is anything special. Just because the Bible uses the word "Trump" doesn't mean that the Bible predicts some rich dude named Trump to become president in the 2020 American election. 

Oh boy, didn't think I would get political.

Anyways, amateur politics aside, we can relate to the total anarchy of the last year. From the death of George Floyd to the destruction of Milwaukee, from BLM protests to storming Capitol hill in the "name of God's chosen president" all the way to Covid 19 conspiracies, 2020 was a literal dumpster fire. 

Leaving all of us in some form of fear, confusion, or frustration.

See, Peter was writing to more than one church. Peter was writing to the same people groups present at his sermon that led to 3000 souls entering into the promise of God for salvation. After this miraculous event, all of these people had "dispersed" back to their homes among the nations. Although this event flies under the radar, this concept of "the nations" runs as a fabric throughout the canvas of scripture. 

In particular, the Babel event should be strongly considered. God, in His wisdom, prevented the fallen sons of God and man from creating a tower to heaven where they would fulfill God's plan to dwell with his heavenly and earthly family: making them one, but outside of God's design. 

Now, that last paragraph might make me sound strange, but if you would like further reading on that whole thing, I would recommend "Unseen Realm" by Michael S. Heiser. But that's if you're super into weird and deep theology. But I digress. 

Again.

Oops.

Anyways, what God did there was disinherit the nations. Biblically speaking, the authors of scripture were writing these words centuries, and I really mean centuries, before the age of discovery. So, Luke would not have written the book of Acts with North America in mind. Heck, he had only known the regions out to, you guessed it: the nations from the Northern and Southern kingdoms, all the way out to the places where Peter was writing to. 

The amazing part about this opening statement by Peter is that he illustrates that God's plan for redemption was coming true. The event at Pentecost was the starting point in which the gospel would go out into the world and reclaim the nations that he disinherited (according to Deuteronomy 32 and Psalm 82). And even with all the persecution and separation happening with the early church, Peter has shown us that every person of the Trinity, God, has been active throughout the entire seeming dumpster fire for the first church plants. 

I'm not sure where you're at with your 2020 experience. I can't tell you why in the world God allowed this to happen; I'm just an amateur blogger that gets sidetracked a lot, but I can tell you that Christ is building his church. And I can tell you that all this stuff happening in the world will serve a significant purpose in refining the church and the reforming of his people.

The reality is that when all this is said and done (even while it is being said and done), God will bring out for himself a people: because he has promised this to His people: an eternal inheritance that can never be changed or short-changed. Eternity with Him.

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