Way Too Slow

Way Too Slow
April 7, 2014
2 Peter 3:9  "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."

The Lord moves at the speed of a snail sometimes, it seems.  We pray for something or are expecting the fulfillment of a promise and it feels like a lifetime of a wait.  I know there are many of you who are waiting on the Lord only to think He has forgotten about you.  I can assure you this is not the case.  The Lord has not forgotten about you and the Lord is NOT moving too slow in bringing about the resolution to your situation.  The Lord is purposeful in everything.  He is extremely calculated in His response time, especially in the fulfillment of His promises.

If you re-read the original story of Noah and his giant boat, you'll find a lot of promises from the Lord.  The Lord promised He would wipe out everyone from the face of the earth because of their wicked ways.  The Lord promised He would save Noah and his family from the annihilating flood.  As you re-read the account, notice the time-frame involved.  From the first promise of the annihilation to the first rain drop, it was 100 years.  The Bible never said it actually took Noah 100 years to build the boat, maybe the Lord was giving the inhabitants of Earth an appropriate opportunity to repent.  Remember the Lord is not wanting anyone to perish, as the Apostle Peter writes!  When Peter said the Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, Peter was referring to the Lord coming back to end the sin of the world, the second coming of Christ.  It was a promise to annihilate and a promise to save from annihilation, just like in Noah's time.

Noah's 100 years, though it seems like more than a lifetime, was about 10% of his life.  Translate that to you and me, and it comes out to be about 8 years based on our current expected life span.  If you've been waiting less than 8 years for something, you waited less than Noah.  But your waiting time has nothing to do with WHAT you are waiting for, it has to do with WHY the Lord is making you wait.  The Lord's main concern is the salvation of all mankind and the specific role your life plays in that master plan.  If giving you what you are waiting for now hinders His master plan, then He will wait!  That's right, the Lord will wait as long as necessary to execute all the details of His master plan and that includes the situation you are waiting through right now.

If you think the Lord is way too slow, then think again.  He is not slow in executing His plan, He is perfect because of His intent.  He is not willing to change the plan for someone's salvation just because you and I get impatient.  You might be waiting because it just isn't time yet!  Maybe you think it is time for you but it could be premature because of the role you play in someone else's life.  During the waiting time there is opportunity to watch the Lord at work.  Though you may not perceive the Lord working, remember that He is not willing anyone should perish.  Be thankful it seems He is slow sometimes, because He gave you and me plenty of time, too.

Don't take my word for it; look it up:  Gen 6-7, 2 Peter 3