"Mom's stunning!"

Well, that's what it sounded like Easton said.

What he meant was, "Mom's studying."  Which was true.

I've been doing quite a lot of studying lately.

And loving it.

I'm working on my thesis -- an exploration of the Old Testament background of 1 Peter 2:9-10:

"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that you may declare the mighty deeds of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.  Once you were no-people, but now you are God's people; once you were 'un-mercied,' now your name is 'Mercy'."

Peter is writing his letter to a mostly Gentile church made up of Christians who are scattered throughout an empire full of unbelievers who are making life very difficult for them.  They are discouraged and wonder if they've joined the right team.  Peter does not just think up nice things to say to make them feel better.  He bestows on them the very titles that were first given exclusively to the Jewish nation! (See Exodus 19:5-6 and Isaiah 43:20-21 for starters.) He is making the very radical claim that believers in Jesus the Messiah are the true Israel, God's treasured possession, chosen to carry out his mission on earth.  If they are suffering, it's because they have chosen to follow the Messiah who suffered and died on behalf of the world.  Their suffering is not a sign that they have done something wrong, it's confirmation that they are doing God's work.  And since they belong to Him, wonderful things await them.

I may just be studying, but that's stunning news.