8 Feb - 2 Peter 3

Today we are reading 2 Peter 3. Here are some thoughts:

1. It’s cool that Peter tells us why he took the time to write these letters. He wanted them to be “reminders to stimulate [us] into wholesome thinking.”
2. Peter talks about the “last days” and “this ‘coming’ he promised.” Sounds kind of like someone has been drinking the Kool-Aid doesn’t it? Well, what Peter is talking about is when Jesus rose from the dead (and there is evidence to support that claim outside of the Bible) he eventually went back to heaven. But before Jesus left he said that he would come back to earth again. Some people back then, and today too, made fun of people who follow Jesus because of this. They say “Well, your Jesus hasn’t come back yet and it’s been thousands of years.” They have a good point except Peter has a great response. He says God isn’t slow to act; for God one day is the same as a thousand years and a thousand years are like one day. Again, the Kool-Aid thing comes to mind but it kind of makes sense. What Peter is actually saying is that time is not a restraint that God lives within. God created time as we understand it and therefore exists outside of time. The Bible talks about God as having always existed and always existing in the future. I know this is not something that we can easily comprehend but remember if God is the highest being (much higher than we are) then it makes sense he would have abilities or attributes we cannot comprehend. So maybe Jesus is sitting in heaven thinking you want me to come back? I’ve only been home for two days! Well, maybe not but who knows. . . 
3. Peter goes on to say in verse 9 that the reason for God waiting is not because he forgot but because he is being patient. That’s weird right? Is that just another way of saying that God is procrastinating? Well, sort of. You see, God is waiting patiently to give people more time to turn back and choose to follow him. Our reading says that God does not want anyone to perish. So if God came back today there would be a lot of people who haven’t chosen to follow him and then those people would spend all eternity separated from God. God loves us so much. I can imagine him in heaven saying, “I could go back today, but if I wait just one more day this guy or this girl will decide to follow me.” 
4. Peter also talks about the time Jesus comes back to the earth as “the day of the Lord” and he tells us that it will come “like a thief.” What Peter is saying is no one knows when Jesus is coming back and so we need to be prepared. Kind of like we don’t know if a thief will come today to rob our house so we lock the doors just in case. 
5. Peter also talks about the earth and the heavens being destroyed by fire. This is some crazy Hollywood film set stuff and honestly we don’t know what that is going to look like. However, we do know Jesus is coming back one day and so we need to be ready. The cool thing is Peter also tells us about a new heaven and a new earth God will make. So I guess the fire part is getting rid of the old so the new can come. Since God created everything and humans messed it up by turning our backs on him, the Bible tells us that God has been working to restore things back to the way he always intended them to be. This includes us as blameless people in a loving relationship with God living in a perfect world. It’s kind of hard to imagine but honestly it’s worth the effort to try and it’s awesome to know this is what God wants for us.

Do you live each day like Jesus might come back today? If Jesus came back right now is there some things in your life you would be ashamed of? If so take steps to change those parts of your life to be pleasing to God so when you do see him you can be proud of the life you lived, a life full of loving God and loving other people.