The Picture of Patience {2 Peter 3:1-18}

12:30 AM

Tuesday, December 18, 2018

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Aren’t you glad that Jesus didn’t come the day before you were saved?  Aren’t you glad that there’s still time?  Still time for all of those you sit there and worry about or who you are angry at for leaving the faith?  There’s still time!

Last week I shared about what faith is and that same day the Lord pushed me to read 2 Peter 3 and He had me stop at verse 9.  “No he is being patient for your sake.  He does not want anyone to perish, so he is giving more time for everyone to repent.”  I shared how this transition into having adult children has been rather difficult for me.  I used to think life was difficult back when my children were very young, but honestly 20-something is much harder!  It is especially difficult when you watch your “children” make poor choices and you cannot step in to sweep up the mess. 

I have found that my patience is very thin!  I pray.  But I just can’t quite trust… that God knows best.  After all, I am their mother! 

I hear quite often the phrase, “Life is short”, and I have to admit that at times it causes me a lot of anxiety.  It’s like I have to hurry or I may miss something.  And we are taught that we don’t know what tomorrow will bring (James 4:14), and we must number our days (Psalm 90:12), but look at what 2 Samuel 14:14 says, that God devises ways for life; a way to pull you towards Him. 

And then I rested on verse 14, “And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to live a pure and blameless life.  And be at peace with God.”  Hold on a minute.  Peace with God – I wrote in the margin, ‘not with each other’.  God’s purpose for people is not destruction but re-creation (Isaiah 66:22 & Revelation 21 & 22).  God makes us holy through faith in Christ.  He counts our sins as fully paid for by the blood and death of Jesus.  He has given us credit for Jesus’ righteous life.  All believers have peace with God in Christ, and He does view us – in Christ – as spotless and blameless.  Eternal salvation is not something we work for or earn.

As a Christian, I work, in God’s power, to live up to those things that are true of me in Christ.  I should work to root the sin out of my life and to fully engage in my peaceful relationship with God.  I cannot do this to earn my place in God’s family.  I do it because I already have one.

As much as being a mom has molded me into who I am today, I cannot allow it to become my identity.  It was becoming an idol.   I had to go through some trials to realize it.  And I’ll tell you that coming to this chapter has had me rejoicing that God is so very patient!


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