December 23rd
Today's Bible Reading
But That All
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
There are many things in our lives that we anticipate. We watch and wait for the arrival of a dear friend. We impatiently watch and wait for the birth of a baby. We currently are eagerly awaiting the arrival of Christmas so we can open our gifts. The expectancy is often overwhelming. Many will try to rush Christmas with pleas to open just one gift, or by taking a sneak peak under the Christmas wrapping. But it will come soon enough.
Our spiritual anticipation is no different. Thousands of years ago Jesus promised that He would come again. He said to His disciples, “. . I go to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” (John 14:2-3). The angels at His ascension declared, “This Jesus, who was taken up from up into the heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go up into heaven.” (Acts 1:11). The writers of the gospel spoke of His return, “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne.” (Matt 25:31). Paul also reiterated the promise of the return of Jesus when he said, “The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel and with the sound of the trumpet of God” (1Thess 4:16). Peter here also refers back to “His promise” to return one day. It will be fulfilled. He will return.
But this promise was made thousands of years ago. We don’t understand the delay. Many have lost heart and hope that Jesus will come again. It does seem like a really long time from the moment He foretold His return to Him actually fulfilling His promise. Peter must have known, even in his day which was only a few years beyond the promise, that we would be skeptical and impatient regarding His return. So he clarified our confusion.
First, He gave us God’s perspective of His promise. Time on earth and time in eternity is radically different. Peter states in the previous text, “But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is a thousand years and a thousand years one day.” (2 Pet 3:8). What is two thousand years on earth is perceived as only a couple of days in glory. God’s promise will be fulfilled on heavenly standard time not Greenwich Mean Time. God knows when Jesus will return, so we don’t need to know when. We just need to patiently wait for God’s timing (Gal 4:4). Just remember that it was hundreds of years after the promise that a "virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." (Is 7:14) before Jesus was actually born (Matt 1:22-23). He will fulfill His promise, but in His time.
Second, He gives us God’s purpose for the delay. The text tells us, “The Lord . . . is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” God’s delay has purpose. He is holding back the return of His son to give ample opportunity for a sinful world to be saved. He is patiently awaiting the last of His elect to repent and believe. The last train to heaven will not depart till the last “ticket holder” is on board. What a great truth about God’s longsuffering. He waited for you to repent and now He has delayed the return of His son until there has been sufficient time for any and all to repent. Praise God for His patience. Oh “but that all” would repent before God’s time runs out.
Today thank God for His perfect timing. Thank Him that He delayed the return of Jesus and patiently waited for you to repent and be saved. Today pray for a friend or family member that you know who has yet to repent and believe. Ask the Lord to save Him before it is to late.
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