Giving More Time

Reading: Isaiah 57-59; Psalm 103; 2 Peter 3 8 But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. 9 The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent…14 And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight. 15 And remember, the Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved…(2 Peter 3:8-9, 14-15 NLT) Prophets spoke of a time when God would wrap things up here on Earth. There would be judgment and finality. Already, in Peter’s day, people were saying, “Maybe it wasn’t true. Maybe God is dead or gone away. Maybe things will just go on as they are forever.” Does that sound familiar? Peter reminds us that God works on his own timetable, which often doesn’t match our own. Besides, Peter tells us, God is holding back the end in order to give everyone on earth sufficient time, and every possible opportunity, to change. God isn’t late, he’s patient and kind. The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. That means our response and responsibility is three-fold:
• We can be thankful for the extra time and opportunity to change, both on the micro level (our own lives) and on the macro level (the world we are to influence).
• We can respond in grateful, obedient faith to his word and his work in our lives, and we can live as representatives of Christ’s kingdom in our world.
• We can take every opportunity to show and tell the truth to others in an increasingly God-unconscious world so they also will have space and time to change. It’s Show And Tell Time! God’s giving us Time and Opportunity to change! Prayer:

Father, Thank you for your patience with me – giving me time and space to change. Help me to have passionate patience with others. Help me to faithfully show and tell the kindness of God and the joy and peace of the Christ-life every day.