June 3 – Patient With Us, Not Slow

“But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”  - 2 Peter 3:8-9 (NASB)

Our concept and mental image of time is one thing and mostly shared among people of similar cultures.  However, there are places and people in this world who think of time quite differently.  In the far north within the Arctic circles at the height of winter, and the winter solstice, those living within the polar circle who experience nights that seem like a month.  Our verse instructs us to not overlook that God is transcendent of time. In the Lord’s time, Peter tells us, one day passes as a thousand years.  A thousand years are just a day for Him.  All moments in our time are  always before God. We can rejoice because God is not confined by time as we are.  His promises are fulfilled according to His will and for us. We may “feel” that God is slow or delaying the fulfillment of a promise but, in God’s plan there is no slowness only patience with His creation. God desires all to come to repentance and for none to perish. So for our sake, He is patient while those who He has chosen and called come to believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.  

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September 4 – Strength in Quietness and Trust

“This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.” Isaiah 30:15 (NIV)

Today we read and reflect on words sent by God through His prophet Isaiah. In these words God was reminding His people where their source of strength was. They were trying all kinds of ways to solve their own problems – does that sound familiar? We believe that our God is the same as He was during Isaiah's time. The promises He gave to his people through Isaiah are promises for us also. God knows that we also are tempted to try to work things out for ourselves. But like these people we often will ignore His offer. What God wants for us is to respond differently, to trust Him. His promise to us in this verse is that we will find salvation and strength when we turn back to Him and rest – trust in His word. He says to us to be quiet, relax and trust Him to take care of us and He will give us the strength you need for the work He has for us.