I wonder how much the return of Jesus Christ occupies the mind of even the most fervent of Christians. In Peter’s day and so soon after Jesus’ own words of His return it seemed the Church was already taking their attention away this important truth. In fact Peter is attacking those ‘scoffers’ who have risen from within the Church and were teaching that Jesus was not returning, this was not a literal Second Coming but a figurative one.
Today the Church is being tempted to focus so much on life on this earth as if it will remain like it is. Each generation wants to live their best life while they can but that only serves to make every generation more self-centred, following their own desires, being who they are, not surrendering to the Lordship of Jesus. If the children do not believe their parents are actually coming back home for a very long time then the temptation is to run riot and behave badly for they have time to fix it before they do. But what if the parents come back in the next hour in the middle of the mess the children have made?
“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3 v 9
Peter reminds us that the return of Jesus is ‘his promise’.
This is a promise of God. God cannot be God if He breaks His promise. But Peter goes further and says He is not dragging His feet to fulfil this promise either.
Rather it is His patience which makes us feel the return is delayed. He wants every person that you know to change their thinking and come to Him because He does not want anyone to miss eternal life. God doesn’t want anyone in hell.
He is patiently waiting for your loved one to turn to Him? God loves and wants that person with Him even more than you do. Sometimes it takes time for people to see the light and turn away from their sin. God is waiting and in the waiting He gives you and me time also to do all we can to reach the lost with the love of God.
Perhaps this is the point. He is patient with the Church, with you and me. He waits to give us time to reach as many as we can. He waits for us to get out of our church buildings. He waits for us to stop hesitating with the gospel. He waits for us to be compelled by the Spirit to go to the lost, the least and the last. He waits for us to willingly count the cost and pay the price that others may know Jesus. He is patient with us. He is waiting. And in His waiting He asks whether we will go. For make no mistake Jesus is returning soon.
Missions Paul 