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Advent Devotional for Sunday, December 7
2 Peter 3:8-15
The Christians in the first century to whom Peter wrote his letter had a lot to be frustrated about. There was so much hope for a messiah, and when he came and died and rose again, they knew they finally had the solution to all their problems. This meant the prophesies were being fulfilled! Everlasting peace, freedom from oppression, the death of death itself! Then something strange happened. Jesus ascended into heaven. He said he would be right back, but years and years went by and the lives of individual Christians only seemed to be getting harder and harder. What is he waiting for?
The same thing can happen to us sometimes. When we pray we want to see our prayer answered, preferably by the time we say “amen.” When we serve others we want to see their problems solved. We get frustrated with problems that only improve slowly and incrementally. When we are in pain we want the pain to end. It sometimes doesn’t end for years.
Here Peter reminds us that God does not think about time the way we do. God isn’t worried that if something does not happen in the next eighty years it will never be. God is patient. The promises that were made will be fulfilled. The day of the Lord is coming when everything wrong will be set right. It is just not going to come while we hold our breath.
There is something truly wonderful about “Waiting according to the promise” as it is described here. It invites us to think from an eternal perspective. We know that the return of Christ will not happen on our command, but eventually, and in the fullness of time. We can look at our smaller hopes that way, too. Patiently, confidently waiting, with the knowledge that maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, maybe not in our natural lifetime, but eventually, God will make it all work out.
Lord God, help me to receive the comfort of your eternal perspective. Help me to wait according to the promise, knowing that you love me, and you desire every good thing for me. Grant me forgiveness for the times I become impatient for you, my Lord,
Ryan Gaffney
Middler MDiv Student
For the glory of God and to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary is a seminary in the Presbyterian-Reformed tradition whose mission is to educate and equip individuals for the ordained Christian ministry and other forms of Christian service and leadership; to employ its resources in the service of the church; to promote and engage in critical theological thought and research; and to be a winsome and exemplary community of God's people.
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