Monday, September 11
Waiting
Scripture: 2 Peter 3
2 Peter 3:11–14 Since all these things are to melt away in this manner, what sort of people must we be, conducting our lives in holiness and godliness, 12 while waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God? Because of this day, the heavens will be burned up and dissolve, and the celestial bodies will melt away in a blaze!13 But, according to his promise, we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness truly resides.
14 Therefore, dear friends, since you are waiting for these things, strive to be found at peace, without spot or blemish, when you come into his presence.
Observation
Peter writes about the consummation of all things and three times says that we are “waiting for” these things. The Greek word is prosdokao, literally, “to think toward.” It means “to wait for, look forward to, expect.” We tend to think of waiting as doing nothing, but waiting is a positive activity as shown by the descriptions Peter attaches here.
We are “conducting our lives in holiness and godliness.” We are living righteous lives that honor God and serve people.
We are “hastening the coming day of God.” How could we hasten the Lord’s return? By making disciples of all the nations. Every time we love someone and share the gospel, we hasten the Lord’s return.
We “strive to be found at peace.” This could refer first to peace with God, and then to peace with others, particularly with other believers with whom we are to be one.
All of these are part and parcel of waiting. We are not doing nothing; we are actively waiting for and hastening the Lord’s return by how we live and love others.
Application
In the Jesus’ People days, the Lord’s return was front and center, helped by books such as Hal Lindsay’s Late Great Planet Earth. We expected Jesus to return any day, and it affected the way we lived and the urgency with which we shared the gospel.
That focus and accompanying fervency has faded—and we would do well to recapture it. The early church had it—it’s what Peter is commending here. It was an active and fervent waiting for the Lord’s return: an expectation that influenced our behavior.
When you expect someone to come to your home, what do you do? You get ready? Yesterday, we celebrated some family birthdays at our house. Laina spent much of the day before preparing for those she expected to come.
If you knew Jesus was coming back next week and the world as we know it would end, how would you live today?
Prayer: Lord, I love You, and I pray as the early church: Come Lord Jesus! Help me to live today with an expectancy for Your return, and to hasten the coming day of the Lord!