Be Patient With God || 2 Peter 3:8-9 || Manna for the Mind #75

Welcome to Day 75 of the “Manna for the Mind” devotional series! This series is about taking scripture passages (typically 1-3 verses) and building our understanding of their teachings through their context and connecting scripture. I believe that doing this helps us understand how to be the type of human that God created us to be.

Today’s passage is 2 Peter 3:9. I’ll be sharing verse 8 as well to help with context and understanding, but our primary focus will remain on verse 9.

2 Peter 3:8-9

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.

There’s a lot to soak in about this passage. This answers the continuous question Christians often ask about why the second coming has yet to happen. God is still waiting for everyone to turn away from their sinful actions and turn towards him. It’s a simple answer in hindsight. God isn’t slow on doing what he needs, nor is he sitting in Heaven watching the world fall apart and not doing anything about it. He put us in charge of creation (see the Day 6 creation story), and we’re doing a terrible job at that.

Jesus is waiting for more sinners to turn to him. We shouldn’t sit and wait for Christ to return to repent because we don’t know when that will happen, but act immediately about it and work towards sharing the Gospel and bringing the Kingdom of Heaven down to earth. I like what my study bible states, “Be ready to meet Christ anytime – even today – yet plan your course of service as though he may not return for many years.” This is the mindset we need. It’s not a panic-driven, conspiracy-laden mindset that drives everyone to do something right this minute, or else they will tell. It’s about keeping this fresh on our minds daily, talking about it consistently with our community, and working towards making it a reality through what we say and do. 

I greatly appreciate this way of thinking about it because it’s made the “end times” a lot less scary for me. It’s not necessarily the apocalyptic hellscape that Revelation paints it to be (a bigger conversation for another time). It is about making the right decisions today and doing what’s needed every day until Jesus returns.

Habbakuk 2:3

3            This vision is for a future time. It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed.

What vision is this? We need to talk about Habakkuk 1 to start to understand it.

Habakkuk has a complaint for God (1:2-4), talking about how violence, evil, and destruction are everywhere. Some people love to argue and fight. The law feels stuck, and the justice system is falling apart. God responded by saying he was about to do something no one would believe. (1:5-11) God is raising the Babylonians to cross the world and conquer the nations in their path. They’ll come with a vengeance, but they’ll also come with guilt. Obviously, Habakkuk doesn’t feel good about that response. (1:12-17) and wonders if God is going to kill all the people in their land. He’s asking why God would do this to them and why God would allow this, summed up in verse 17.

Habakkuk 1:17

17          Will you let them get away with this forever? Will they succeed forever in their heartless conquests?

God responds to his second complaint (2:3-20). God told him that the events would happen as an end and a fulfillment. God shows the difference between the proud and the righteous, condemning the proud for not trusting God. God is condemning the wealthy for their greed. They will be captured by the Babylonians, having their own ego and wealth held against them. God also condemns the idolatrous, understanding the same mindset as the proud.

I’m sure you want the nice bow on the story, saying it will be okay for Habakkuk’s audience. In his prayer, you can read about that in Habakkuk 3, but our story stays in Habakkuk 2. We share in the laments that Habakkuk had about the world. We constantly feel angry and discouraged about what’s happening in the world, at least according to what we see on social media. Habakkuk’s complaints were heard by God, and God’s answer to him is the same one he gives us. Be patient and wait for his victory to come. It will come. However, this doesn’t mean we remain passive. We need to go out and care for those in need. Loving each other in the way Jesus loved us.

We can feel highly impatient with waiting for Jesus to return. However, we need to remember God hates oppression and violence even more than we do. He will hand out the punishments when he deems it’s time; we must wait. We’re seeing more and more social justice movements happening in the world today, attempting to stop the oppressive and violent principles that the US has been based upon that are outdated times and culture. I believe we’re seeing what God’s been wanting to see, the oppression and violence being eradicated by us. We need to care for our neighbor like God created us to do. God has been kind to us.

Romans 2:4

4            Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?

In God’s kindness and mercy, he holds back his judgment and gives us plenty of time to turn from our sins. This is still a choice we get to make. There’s no forcing into this relationship. God’s saying that we can turn away from sin or not. If we don’t, we face the spiritual consequences of that. God will hand out those consequences in his time, which we do not know. This is why there’s the push to do it now because it could be tomorrow.

The self-evaluation involved with this is hard; coming before God to have him tell us where and what we need to change is even more challenging. We need to ask God to point out our shortcomings. He can show us how to deal with them when he points them out to us. It can be challenging and full of internal embarrassment, guilt, and shame, but God doesn’t see it that way. God sees it as you repenting from your old living and turning towards his. God is patient, more so than I believe we often comprehend at times.

Paul reaffirms this mindset to Timothy in 1 Timothy 2:3-4. We’ll be focusing specifically on verse 4.

1 Timothy 2:3-4

3            This is good and pleases God our Savior,

4            who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.

What is good and pleases God? Praying for all people. Paul’s giving Timothy instructions for the church he’s preparing to lead. 1 Timothy 2 is all about worship instructions. Paul wants Timothy to pray for each person in his church. Timothy should ask God to help them, intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Paul also instructs Timothy to pray for the leaders around them so they could live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. I know this about a church leader and what he should do for his congregation, but this applies to us.

Paul said that God wants everyone to be saved. This doesn’t mean we all will, but the goal is to have everyone be saved. The message of the Gospel is for everyone. There’s no gatekeeping, requirements, tolls to pay, or anything else. God loves the whole world and sent his Son to save us and the sinners. His mercy and salvation reach everyone; you, me, your family and friends, and those who’ve never heard of God. We can pray for others, also. We can ask for God to help our neighbors. We can ask God to point out where we can help that person. We can thank God for having this person in our community. We can plant the seed for them to have God come into their heart.

Father God, thank you for being so patient with us. We are broken, but your creation is made to do good. We can bring your kingdom down here to earth through the Holy Spirit. Please help us be patient in this process and patient when you return. We don’t know when that will be, but that doesn’t mean we should do anything. We must care for and love our neighbors as you’ve done for us. Guide us to where we need to be. Open our eyes to the needs of those around us. Give the courage and wisdom to act when and where you need us to. It’s in your name, we pray. Amen