Patience in the Promise: Reflecting on 2 Peter 3:8,9 and the Eternal Perspective

“With the Lord a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like a day.” 2 Peter 3:8,9
There is so much in this verse that I love.

1. When I think of Jesus saying He’s coming soon, and as I still exist on this earth still waiting for this great event, now 2000+ years in waiting, I am reminded that to God "a day is like a 1000 years," so for Him and His time table it’s only been a couple days!!
2. He is NOT slow in keeping His promises - it’s probably more about me wanting to “hasten” His coming before He’s ready. I’m the one who’s pushing for Him to come. He’s got an agenda, and that agenda is to be sure everyone has had a chance to decide for Him, and He’s NOT slow in keeping His promise!
3. “He is patient with me.” He knows WHAT is best and He knows WHEN is best. As I keep learning of His patience I become more patient myself.
4. And, as near as I can figure, the reason He is waiting is because there is apparently someone out there who is still going to come to Him, and He doesn’t want “ANYONE to perish, but ALL to come to repentance.” He wants EVERYONE to be saved, and if I read my Bible correctly that isn’t going to happen, so even God doesn’t get His way all the time. Some are going to consciously choose not to be saved. That’s sad but it’s true.
   
   

So my “at this point” conclusion is that every day that I wake up and Jesus has not yet come, I know that there is still someone out there who is going to decide to follow Jesus and give their life to Him. He’s not going to wait forever but He IS going to wait as long as there is someone He knows is still deciding. (See Matthew 24:14 for the exact time of His coming!) So, though I wish He'd come today, I'm growing in my patience and will hang in there with Him until everyone has had a fair chance to decide what they're going to do with Jesus. Thank you, Jesus, for being that patient; help me be the same.
 
Have a great day patiently waiting for Him to come,

Pastor Rich