A Note from God

“The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9

A Note from God, based on 2 Peter 3:9

My Dear Child:

Timing

I know you have often been confused about the difference between my timing and yours. I know there have been times when you felt like I was slow in showing up or making things happen. Please remember that when I promise something – it is going to happen because all things are possible with and through me. I just ask you to also remember that our senses of timing are different. Like it says earlier in 2 Peter that with me one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like one day.

Patience

I also want you to keep mind that I am patient with you. You know from my Word that all of you are going to fall short – a lot and that I no longer remember your confessed sins. Remember all those times you have asked for second, third and fourth chances? That’s my point – with Jesus standing before you as your savior, in my view, I have no memory of the reasons and the requests. I remain steadfast and faithful. And I am patient, you have seen that. Once you are mine, I never give up on you…

The Goal

The reason I am patient with you? Because I don’t want anyone to be permanently separated from me. I created you – I don’t want something I created to be destroyed. I want everyone to come to a point in their lives where they recognize the need for me – the need to repent and turn in their hearts to me for salvation and for living abundantly. And if you look over your lifetime, this is what I have been patiently and purposefully doing. I know in your eyes it often may not look purposeful or that the timing has not worked out according to you. But here’s the thing – the timing and the patience have to do in part you with you! How many times have you said to me about yourself or others, “Why does this take so long?!” Like all humans – sin, guilt, pride, stubbornness and a whole bunch of other things get in the way of your heart belonging to me – you know it’s true J. And I know it is true and that is why I sent Jesus into this world to die on the cross and rise again so that you may live and have the way to return to me. And, by the power of the Holy Spirit, through events, through people, I have patiently walked along side you – never leaving you – reminding you of my love and care for you and knowing throughout it all – the very moment or moments you will return to me. That is what I want for all my children – yes for you.

The timing, the patience and the goal are all part of my promised love for you through my son Jesus. Maybe all along, through all the valleys and mountains, today is the day that you will turn and give me your heart completely…

Love, God

Amen.

Discussion Questions

1. Is today the day? Why or why not?
2. Are you able to see/hear in this verse the “wideness of God’s mercy?” Why or why not?
3. Can you think of and share some times when God has been patient with you? How does it feel to know why he is patient with us?
4. Have you ever wondered about God’s timing? How does His timing look 5 or 10 years later?

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Patience

Patience is hard to come by these days. Stand in line at the grocery store or wait in traffic and see how patient you are. We are always thinking, “Why do I have to wait?” We have become so trained to have what we want NOW!

 

We have to remember that patience is essential for our faith and living. “Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and late rains (James 5:7).” One of the first things you notice about this verse is that the farmer’s precious crop is dependent on factors beyond his control – actually in God’s hands – the rains. Likewise in our lives, the most precious things have the Lord’s fingerprints all over them and take time.

 

Building the character of our children takes prayer, discipline and purpose every day for years. Marriages take years to become strong. They begin like small trees and over time through Christ can soar and become solid. My wife Jenny and I have been married for fourteen years, and she has demonstrated great patience waiting for me to catch up to her and I am getting there. But seriously, a relationship with Christ takes years of studying the Word, and prayer, experience and fellowship to become a mature faith. Careers are not built with one job; they can take a lifetime. Authentic relationships take time to grow too.

 

From the other side, what about those times when we were not patient? When we rush into things or don’t wait for the divine green light. How often has God said of us, “If you had just waited a little longer.” Often we have the best intentions, but just can’t wait and the consequences range from humorous to dangerous.

 

But I think about the precious things in my life: my faith in Christ, Jenny, children, family and friends and ministry, and I see how God has worked over time – and I see my patience and impatience throughout it all. But in the end the patience was worth it and it makes me hopeful and patient. Patience makes more patience. I know that Christ is already growing the seeds of my dreams.

 

I invite you to think about the precious things in your life and the patience they require.

 

“In the bulb there is a flower; In the seed an apple tree; In cocoons, a hidden promise: Butterflies will soon be free! In the cold and snow of winter, There’s a spring that waits to be, Unrevealed until its season, Something alone God can see.” These words from the “Hymn of Promise” remind us that the “how” of life is up to God; our part is the patience and trust.

 

Amen.

 

Discussion Questions

1.      What are the things that make you most impatient? Why do you think this is?

2.      Think of some things that help with patience…(Hints: Prayer, reflecting on God’s timing and work (Romans 8:28)

3.      Think of times when patience paid off…how did it happen?

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Something New

Isaiah 43:18-21

Something New 

“Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert…to give drink to my chosen people, the people whom I formed for myself so that they might declare my praise.” Isaiah 43:18-21  

Sometimes we get stuck in the past. We dwell on things from years ago. We do this in relationships when we keep bringing up stuff from a long time ago. We do this in our minds – we keep going over how we might have done things differently or keep going over regrets as if they happened yesterday. We do this in our families and our churches too. “Nothing changes…people always do what they do,” we say with resignation.  

We see in this passage how the Lord understands this. Speaking to His people through the prophet Isaiah, He wanted to offer comfort and preparation. Comfort in the sense of with God, the past is the past. Further, this passage reminds us that newness is part of God’s character. In many other parts of the Bible, God reminds people that He is always doing something new. And that is the preparation part. In saying to His people, “Do not remember the former things…I am about to do a new thing,” it shows that this is a God who prepares us for the new things He is doing. 

What happens though is we often don’t see it. Because we are stuck on the past, we don’t even see the new things God is doing. We label as the same old bad luck or pattern we have always seen. I think this is why the verse, “I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” is in there. God is going to do His new thing whether or not we see it. I think He certainly hopes that we do. 

But what if we lived as this verse suggests? What if every morning we woke up looking for the new things that God is doing – expecting to see them? What if we trusted and believed that God was doing a new thing (which He is) and prayed for and received the vision to see it? It is a totally different way of living for most of us.  

It would also help us to put the past where it belongs. If we are focused on the new God is doing, the past is behind. Sometimes, these new things will take time, not always overnight, but we know from this passage that they are happening. That way, the damage and wreckage of the past passes by us like clouds – they just keep moving away.  

Living like this would mean that all the losses and all the things that we have classified as “the end” or destruction could actually be seen as God doing something new. Imagine this?!! Lose a job…God doing something new. A loved one dies…God is doing something new. Malignant diagnosis…God is doing something new. Marriage broken or ending…God is doing something new. Do something that seems unforgivable…God is still doing something new. Anything or anyone that looks like they are failing or dying or struggling…God is doing something new. This is does not take away from the reality of grief and loss. God understands that as well and walks with us through it. But waiting on the other side of grief, perhaps even through grief and loss at times is God doing something new. It may not be what we want to be new or restored…but it is God doing what He knows to be best through the new. 

Because as this passage says, “to give drink to my chosen people, the people whom I formed for myself so that they might declare my praise.” Through Jesus Christ today, we are the people, each one of us, formed for God’s pleasure so that we might, in sunny times and cloudy days, declare that He is God and that despite what things look like, He is making all things new (Revelation 21:6). 

Amen! 

Discussion Questions

1. Are there things from your past that you would love to let go of? Is it time to do that today based on this passage?
2. What is keeping you from believing that God is doing something new and it is a matter of us seeing and believing? What can we do about it?
3. Name something that you consider a loss and think about how something new came from it – greater awareness or thanksgiving or a change.
4. Think of a time when God made “a way in the wilderness” for you. A situation that seemed impossible but somehow something amazing happened – could be reconciliation or forgiveness.
5. Right now, God is doing something new! I pray that you see it. Think of different parts of your life and try to see it. I know it may involve letting go of something of the past or something treasured – but He is still doing something new and it is for our good (Romans 8:28).  

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