2 Peter 3:8-9
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: For the Lord, one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. The Lord is not slow to do what he promised, as some consider slowness. Instead, he is patient for your sakes, not wanting anyone to perish, but all to come to repentance.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for being patient with us. Your patience does not mean that you will endure sin forever, but it is long-suffering for each of us, and eventually, there will come an end. Either you will end our time of grace, or you will bring judgment day. And, when that end comes, time is up. While you do not wish for anyone to suffer in hell yet, for people who continue to reject you, this is where they will remain for eternity. Thank you for giving us this incredible gift—time—that we can number our days. Peter reminds us that time’s constraints do not bind you; you are outside of time. You have set for each person their time for grace, granting them a limited number of days, in which you desire each person to come to know you and your love we don’t deserve. Your love was the reason you sent your Son here to take on the world’s sin; Jesus suffered and died on the cross, not for just one or two but all people. But, as Peter wrote, you are patient so that no one would perish, but all people repent of their sins and return to you. We look at all evilness in the world, and our first instinct is how disgusted you must be with us. While you hate sin, this passage tells us that you patiently wait for all to repent and trust you. Only through faith do we know that Jesus has died and taken away our sins; we repent and trust our sins are removed as far as the east is from the west. Thank you for being patient with us and establishing faith in our hearts through your Spirit. Give us opportunities to share this good news with someone who still does not know you. Amen.
Written through Pastor Roger Emmons
Even though God is patient, we need to hear his urgency. On your own, we are condemned, but with Jesus, he has forgiven all our sins. Through faith in him, we have eternal life.