Not Slow

Time is a strange thing. On earth we are able to conceptualize the past, the present and the future. We’re born, we age, and we die. Time is linear for us, so if we miss a moment, we know that we’ll never get that moment back. We may experience occasions when we think we need something to happen right now, because time dictates that an answer or solution can’t wait a moment longer. But when we pray to God, I think we forget that he doesn’t operate in the same time confines as we do here on earth. I don’t believe that time is linear when considering God’s reality. That is why I believe that as far as he is concerned, everything happens exactly when it is supposed to happen. Second Peter chapter 3, verses 8 and 9 puts it this way:

“But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

I see two things here. First, we learn that time operates differently for God. So, if you’re praying for something and you think that God is taking his sweet time in answering your prayer, that is never the case. I don’t believe that God ever has to do anything “right now”. Whenever he chooses to answer your prayer, deliverance will occur at exactly the right time, even though we may not think it does sometimes. And secondly, God is patient. As far as our earthly timeline, he doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to end all things as we know it. He is giving us plenty of time to come to him because he doesn’t want anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. Even still, we do know that life as we know it will end, and when it does, it will come without warning. There’ll be no second chances, and no re-dos. So, I encourage you, if you haven’t accepted what Jesus did on the cross for us, do it today and be saved from eternal hell. And if you think God is late in answering your prayer, think again. God is never late, because he doesn’t operate within our linear, earthly timeline. Just keep praying in faith, and wait with earnest expectation for his deliverance.

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Remember what Peter says, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness.” Whether you are waiting for the promise of an answered prayer, or the promise of Jesus’ return, everything will happen exactly when it is supposed to happen. God is never late, and he is not slow as some understand slowness. So, if you are still waiting on God, I hope that this portion of scripture bolsters your faith, and gives you hope.

Road to Love

When we take the leap of faith and choose, for the first time, to make Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, our lives probably won’t change overnight. Typically, over time, the Holy Spirit will make us more and more like Jesus if, of course, we let him. I believe that Second Peter chapter 1, verses 5 through 9, outlines the order of progression every believer will take as we mature in our faith and surrender more and more to our Lord. It says:

“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.”

If you really think about each of these levels of maturity, you might come to realize, as I have, that this progression makes sense. It is also revealing that the ultimate goal is love. Where in this progression do you find yourself? You might want to look at it more closely when you have time and really think about what each step means in your life. We can all be transformed from having faith enough to believe, to having the kind of Godly love that Jesus portrayed when he walked this earth.

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If we allow the Holy Spirit to guide us in our maturity, we will learn that the progression Peter points out makes sense. You can’t really skip steps, and you can’t push through them in your own strength. You might find yourself struggling at a few stages, or conversely, operating on many of these levels at the same time. You might even falter or slip back a few steps on occasion. In any event, every one of these virtues are important. But the ultimate goal is love, which many of us will never fully reach. Though as Peter puts it, we need to make every effort.