"The waiting is the hardest part" (Tom Petty). Time can drag on, can't it? It can also fly, as the years pass by so quickly. In 2Peter, we see two groups of people with two different perspectives on time. One group, the Gnostics, had given up on Jesus' second coming. It had been less than 50 years, possibly. In their opinion, enough time had passed that made them think He's not coming back. Things just continued to rock along as they always have with nothing changing. The other group, we'll call them disciples since that's what we've been studying and that's who we are, encouraged them to remember how God created the Earth from water, then stepped in to destroy it with that same water in the flood. He will surely come back, but next time, with fire destroying everything. Count on it. But God is patient in that He wants all of His people to come into a saving knowledge of Himself. He doesn't want anyone to perish. So what do we do in the meantime? What are the things Jesus taught us to do as His disciples? We remind each other of these simple, profound truths, even so, asking the Holy Spirit to shine light upon any area He would want us to improve upon. We are to be men of prayer, staying in His Word, living in the Holy Spirit, loving each other, loving God, representing the truth, men of courage, of integrity, meeting regularly, and a giant ETCETERA! Let the Holy Spirit guide you into the truth of what He wants you to do and be during our so very short lives! Doing these things speeds up His return! We are encouraged to be blameless and at peace with Him. Are you fighting Him on any point? We should look forward to His return as the greatest day in history. He is making everything new and turning the tides on evil, changing the rulebook. Meanwhile, these indeed are tough times, with the promise that they will only get tougher. "The love of most will grow cold" (Matt. 24:12) Without love, this world is doomed. I know this is true for my heart. We will have to be men of faith. "When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8). And we must "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2Pet. 3:18). And oh, how I need more grace as I wait and struggle through these last days.
