“Slowness” – 2 Peter 3.8-9

2 Peter 3.8-9 – “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.”

Apparently, even people who lived just thirty years after Jesus’ death and resurrection were wondering why it was taking Him so long to return. Already people were saying, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised?” (3.4). Every generation since the time of Christ has thought that they would be the one that would see Christ’s return. Yet, here we sit nearly two thousand years after He died, rose, and said He would come again and we are still waiting. Many today also say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised?”

First of all, God doesn’t keep track of time the same way we do. To us, a year seems like a long time. On the other hand, God is outside of time. He is eternal. To Him, “a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.” God is not tapping His foot impatiently waiting for the right time to send Jesus back to earth. He is patient and one of the reasons for His patience is that He wants to give us more time. The longer He waits to send Jesus, the more people will come to faith and be saved. He wants all people to come to repentance and is willing to wait because of His love for mankind.

While we wait, we can help hasten His return. 2 Peter 3.11-12 says, “You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.” How do we “speed its coming”? We fulfill God’s purposes and do the work of reaping a spiritual harvest by bringing people into the kingdom. Jesus said, “This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24.14). We can bring back the King by getting the word out to all nations.

No matter what we do, though, “the day of the Lord will come like a thief” (2 Peter 3.10). If someone tells you they know when Jesus will return, they are lying. However, we must always be ready with our lamps lit (see Matthew 25.1-13). We must thank God for His patience and use the time He has given us to bring people to repentance. Thank God today for His loving patience.