Grace in the Waiting
Make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless…
2 Peter 3:14 NLT
It is so sweet to see an expectant mama preparing for her child’s arrival. As she carries the baby, the Lord gives her an instinct to “nest” and think through all the details of the baby’s nursery and life. As the signs of delivery become more obvious, the more the mama makes sure things are ready.
In a similar way in Scripture, the Lord shares that I am to prepare for His arrival. As the signs become more obvious, I am to strive all the more to be ready.
While I wait for Jesus to return, what am I to do?
And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight. 15 And remember, our Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved. This is what our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom God gave him – 16 speaking of these things in all of his letters. Some of his comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of Scripture. And this will result in their destruction. 17 You already know these things, dear friends. So be on guard; then you will not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people and lose your own secure footing. 18 Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen (2 Peter 3:14-18 NLT).
While I wait, I am to live a pure and blameless lifestyle based on the correct teaching of God’s wisdom in the letters Paul wrote (verse 15).
What will ignorant and unstable people do? At the end, they are going to distort or twist the teaching in God’s word to mean something very different than what God intended (verse 16).
How am I to respond? Be on guard and don’t make their errors. Learn God’s word correctly. Instead, I am to grow (spiritually mature) in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (verses 17-18).
The grace I am given in waiting for Jesus’ physical return is to spiritually get to know Jesus better.
Father, in the quiet of my heart, You speak to me whispering, “Child, Learn My Word, spend time with Me and I will show You the right way.” Lord, help me grow in the grace and knowledge of My Lord and Savior Jesus. In Jesus name I pray, amen.
Stacy A. Davis
