ATTRIBUTES—-
ETERNAL & PATIENT
WHO IS GOD? ETERNAL & PATIENT
God has no birth date or obituary. He isn’t bound to time like we are. He is extremely patient. He has always existed, and He alone is the creator of everything we know, including us. God cherishes people and wants to see His beloved creation return to Him. Peter describes it this way: “A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent” (2 Peter 3:8-9). God is patient and wants to see everyone turn from their sins and live with Him forever. He uses time patiently to save all who will see His patience and turn from their sin toward Him.
WHO AM I? SOMEONE GOD IS PATIENT WITH
God could have judged the world as soon as it was corrupted by sin. If He wanted to do this, He would have been in the right. He is the holy judge, and we humans deserve to be condemned for our sins. Yet God shows us how patient He is to save us week after week, month after month, and year after year. He does have a Day of Judgment coming, but until that day, He will be saving, working, and waiting patiently for people to come to Him in faith. He has intervened in our temporary earthly lives with His eternal patience. Do you recognize how patient God has been with you for your sake? How have you responded to His patient hand in your life?
WHAT DO I DO? RESPOND
God is not slow in working out His salvation plan. Second Peter 3 makes that clear. But this chapter also tells us that He is being patient for our sake. What does that mean?
God’s gift of salvation is being made known to generation after generation of people, and God is pleading with humanity to turn to Him. God’s patience shows that He is kind and that He cares for every generation of people. He wants us to run to Him and receive His love. He doesn’t want any of us to die eternally; instead, He wants us to receive forgiveness and have eternal life.
Where do you stand today? Will you receive God’s gift of salvation from everything you’ve done wrong?
If you already have been saved, how does God’s patience affect you now? Does it give you an earnestness to share the gospel, knowing that God is being patient with those around you like He has been with you?