Last week I was away on holiday in Cumbria surrounded by mountains and hills that have been walked upon for thousands of years. I was also thinking about my last 10 years before retirement and how short a time it feels. The difference between the ancient and the modern seemed vast. Ten years as a child seemed such a long time away. Now it will be gone before I know it! There is so much I want to achieve still. In my present work I know it will take many years to accomplish what my heart desires to see. I have this in mind this morning as I continue with this second letter of Peter thinking about whether I will see the return of Christ in my generation.
In the context of criticising the scoffers who say Jesus hasn’t returned and won’t return he quotes Psalm 90.
“But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness…” (2 Peter 3 v 8-9)
So people walking on the mountains and hills of Cumbria for thousands of years is actually just days to God.
This is not a formula to work out when He will return because no one knows not even Jesus.
Peter’s quote is from a prayer of Moses in the Wilderness. When you are in that place it can seem like a thousand years and not 40 years. The point is that time for us can at times be very slow and then also be very quick. Our perspective of time is different to God’s.
So just because the scoffers say ‘where is this return of Jesus’ does not mean a thing. Is there a reason for this delay? Peter says there is and we know what that is and it is because of His grace and mercy to mankind.
Missions Paul 