Rev. Don Campbell
2 Peter 1-3; Jude
THOUGHT FOR TODAY, DECEMBER 25, 2019
“BUSILY WAITING FOR THE LORD”
Peter says, “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed” (2 Peter 3:10). He went on: “Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness” (v. 11).
As we wait, we should be a patient people, knowing that to the Lord a day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as a day (vv. 8-9).
We should be a well-behaved (holy) people and worshipping (godly) people (v. 11).
We should be a peaceful people (v. 14). There are three dimensions of this peace: We are at peace with the past: born again (1 Peter 1:3). We are at peace in the present: a living hope (1 Peter 1:3). We are at peace about the future: guarded for salvation to be revealed (1 Peter 1:5).
We should be a stable people (v. 17). Societies and systems are crumbling before our eyes, but none of this should move us. Concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only” (Matthew 24:34-36). His word shall stand and those who stand on his word shall stand.
We should be a growing people: “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus and Savior Jesus Christ” (v. 18).
Without doing any damage to the text, we can paraphrase Peter’s words in verse 12 as: “We must busily wait for the coming day of the Lord” (v. 12).
CONNECTIONS
1. Jesus said, “I must be about my Father’s business.” From Peter’s instructions, what is the business of the Father in which we should be busy?
2. How would you distinguish “busy with a purpose” versus “busy work”?
