Week 1, Wednesday, November 30
2 Peter 3:1-10
Vs 8-9
But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow about his promise as some count slowness, but is forbearing toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
God’s time is different from our time.
Sometimes it genuinely feels like God is slow to show up - maybe we have experienced silent waiting for months or even years.
Why does God seem to be silent? When will the wait end? Where are the answers?
It can be uncomfortable (maybe even seem impossible) to remain suspended in a season of almost or any day now.
Surely Mary experienced some of this waiting while moving through her pregnancy with Jesus, especially as delivery approached and the baby would arrive any day.
Surely the first Century Christians understood this waiting, just as we do. They had been promised the return of Jesus - it could be any day!
This reading from 2 Peter is reminding the reader to hold fast to the words of the prophets, apostles and Jesus himself because scoffers will come, with negative words regarding the timing of God. They will question his absence and lack of change:
Why does God seem to be silent? When will the wait end? Where are the answers?
Waiting was a reality of the world then just as it is for us today. We remain suspended in a time of almost and any day now.
We know that the waiting in our verse today is specific to the Lord’s desire that all would reach repentance, that all would come to believe, and that all may spend eternity with him.
The Lord is not slow about his promise as some count slowness; he promised to return.
We can trust he is working in the waiting.