Day 335.
They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” …But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 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. 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. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. (2 Peter 3:4, 8-13 ESV)
Just like the flood in the days of Noah, fire will one day sweep across this world bringing the judgment of God, exposing all the hidden works of man. It is a frightening thing, make no mistake. And it is certain to come. The delay in coming has led to people to disbelieve in it. But Peter explains that the delay is to allow all that are God’s to come to repentance. It is for our salvation that God delays. But it will come and when it does, the result will be a new heavens and a new earth where we will live without the influence of our sin nature. It will have been burned away.
Can you imagine a world where our greatest delight is in the Lord and we no longer wrestle with sin? Are you ready for God’s fire of judgment to come?
Ask God to fill His church with the Holy Spirit that she might be fruitful in bringing in the lost who belong to God. Ask the Lord to make you ready for that day to come.
McCheyne’s reading plan: 1 Ch 29, 2 Pe 3, Mi 6, Ps 107
Yes, it makes me think about no stickers when I ride my bike. There will no temptation to e unkind or have the last word. We don’t feel ready. We feel we need to grow our faith more. Hadley wants to learn more about God.