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 promises, some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
II Peter 3:8-9
Peter, writing to the persecuted church, reminds them that time is not the same to God as it is to man. Believers were waiting for the promises of God to be fulfilled as they endured the persecution. They were waiting for His return when Jesus would right every wrong and turn their sorrow into joy, when He would come and every knee would bow to His Lordship. Peter describes the character of God as patient, not wanting anyone to perish.
God was giving people time to come to know Him because of His infinite love for people.
This fundamental truth brings understanding to us today as we await His promised return. Peter makes two points to strengthen the believers’ position of trust as they await the second coming of Christ. These are the relativity of time and the loving forbearance of God. What man regards as a long time is like a mere day to God because He operates from an eternal perspective. We see time in terms of minutes, hours, days, months, and years.
However, God’s view of time is not the same as ours, and He is sovereign over time. This is exceedingly helpful as we grow in knowledge and grace.
We all wait for something, such as a wayward child to come home, a job opportunity to come through, or a financial breakthrough. As we pray, seek, and wait on the Lord, God is working His character in us. He is able to answer our prayers in an instant, but He desires that we draw near to Him and become more like Him. In the process of waiting, we are transformed as we turn to God. The Lord is infinitely patient with us and desires that we know Him; that is His ultimate goal.
The Lord waits patiently for unbelievers to know Him. It may seem to us that He is slow in coming, but His timing is eternal and His desire is for all to know Him.
Heavenly Father,
Help me to trust You with the timing of things in my life. Forgive my impatience as I wait on You to respond to my prayers. Thank you that Your concern is not just for my good but for my best.
In Jesus’ name, Amen
