God’s Patience
2 Peter 3:9
“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”
Patience is something that is an on-going work in my life. Despite the rise of new technology which makes life easier and faster yet we are less patient as a culture. How are you with patience? I am so glad that God’s patience is not compared to my patience or any other human being. In this particle chapter, Peter is talking about the Day of the Lord and the timing of that day. The Day of the Lord is what is written about the judgment on the world before the return of Christ (Matthew 24 & 25, 1 Thessalonians 5). We read that Peter wanted to awaken the readers to be mindful that there is a Day of the Lord.
Peter than reminds them that the day of the Lord will come when God allows it. Verse 9 is a reminder of what God is waiting for. God is waiting for those who will be saved. God was patient with Israel in the wilderness and God is patient today. I am so glad that this day did not happen yet because I was able to hear the Gospel and receive Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Guess what? There are more people in this world that need to hear the Gospel. Probably most of us have some family member that does not know Jesus. There are people in the world that have never heard the Gospel. God is waiting, he is patient for those whom will be saved. We need to remember that this day will come!
God is patient with not only withholding the judgment time but desires none to perish but all to reach repentance. I love this verse because we see God’s character towards his creation. We know that God has given every human being free will. God knows there will be some that reject him but his desire is for all to reach repentance. As a parent, I desire for my child to genuinely love me. I can tell her to love me but I can’t force her. It has to be a genuine love. God desires his creation to love him and for them not to perish but there will be some as they rejected the message of Jesus.
