1 Peter: Odd Life, Good God Sýnishorn

Some years ago, my (Mark) youngest daughter told me that she had a desire in her heart to take a fun daddy/daughter trip with me to Alaska. Included in that desire was the longing to go see a real sled dog team. So, we did exactly what my lovely little lady wanted to do and made memories that will last a lifetime. As we were with a sled dog team, the man who ran the team explained to us how a team rises or falls with the lead dog. A good lead dog makes the whole team succeed, a bad lead dog makes the whole team fail and can even cause injury or death. The stakes are very high. 

What is true of sled dog teams is true of all teams. For this reason, Peter ends his first letter to the members of Team Jesus in various local churches by reminding the senior leaders of the importance of their role in leading in love.  

Imagine you lived a few thousand years ago, hundreds of miles away from someone, and the only way to communicate with them was to sit down and write a letter, and then find someone to hand deliver it to them by walking or riding on the back of a beast for many days through rough terrain.  

How many letters would you send? The odds are few if any.  For someone as busy as Peter, to sit down and write a letter to then have it delivered would indicate that the people he was writing to had a deep need that only his wise counsel could most help. The fact that such letters were written by the apostles, and delivered by trusted members of their ministry teams, reveals the great love they had for people with great need.  

The churches and Christians who received Peter’s letter would have been tremendously honored and encouraged at the willingness of such a noteworthy Christian leader to take the time, although he had never even met them, to speak into their life with practical pastoral affection. Imagine, for example, finding an old letter to your local church hand-written by Billy Graham revealing in great detail his knowledge and love for the people. Also, the fact that Peter took the time to pen, not one, but two letters, indicates that there were serious concerns that had escalated to the point of urgency.  

The Christians writing to Peter would have looked to him as something of a spiritual father. Born again under his preaching, they look to Peter like a young kid does a good dad, seeking advice on how to live life.  

Reflection:  

1. Peter ends by speaking of a special “peace” that only comes to those “who are in Christ”. How have you experienced this peace?   

2. What are practical ways you can be “casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you”?  

3. What are some practical ways that when you clothe your body each morning you can also remember to clothe your soul in humility (verse 5)?