I just realized something. We are going to be doing Revelation on the last Wednesday of 2011. Now that’s funny. God’s got a sense of humor, doesn’t He?
Well, this week is II Peter. Have a word to share with us? How about dropping into the comments and joining the conversation? I John is next week! Oh, and in case I forget tomorrow… Happy Thanksgiving!
I Peter 3:9 (NIV)–The Lord is not slow in keeping his promises, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, now wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
Say it with me now: “I love this verse!” (I am aware I say that a lot. It’s true, though. I love God’s Word!) If this isn’t the perfect picture of love, I’m not sure what is. You know, God could have ended this whole thing at any point. He didn’t even have to create the earth and all of us in the first place. After all, like I said a few weeks ago, He knew what was coming before He ever spoke the first speck of dust into existence. At any time He pleases, He could be free of the pain we cause His heart.
But He doesn’t end it. Not yet. He is constantly watching, waiting for that one more soul to come home to Him, waiting for that one more confession that He is Who He says He is. Each one brings Him joy unspeakable and sets heaven on fire with praise.
I was struck by the thought just now… What if Jesus had come two seconds before I accepted Him? Two seconds before my husband did? Two seconds before my daughter did? Oh, the love. He waited on me. On him. On her. On you. On someone we may never know this side of heaven who is in this very moment crying out to Him for the first time. That’s amazing to me, that He is waiting on us. Soak that in and tell me it isn’t love… one hundred percent.
-JB
Awesome verse! And God totally has a sense of humor! Hope you had a great Thanksgiving!!
You too! Hope your Thanksgiving was awesome!
This week I am drawn to 2 Peter 2:1 – But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them-bringing swift destruction to them.
I chose this verse because it is a reminder we need to always be on our guard, but even more than that, we must study God’s word and know him more intimately every day. There will be false teachers that are very “good” and deceptive. If we are not careful it will be too easy to follow their misguided teachings. Satan took God’s word and carefully twisted it in the Garden of Eden. He is always out there looking to plant lies into our lives. False teachers will also carefully take and twist God’s word, and if we do not study the word on our own, we can be blindly led down a horrible path.
False teachers give just enough truth to make the lie look good. That’s the scariest part.