Scripture: “This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved.
In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles…
Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by Him without spot or blemish and at peace.” (2 Peter 3:1-2, v14)
Observation: Being reminded of the vision; remember the Word of God; be diligent to be found by Him…these words and statements are strong, have meaning that cannot be ignored, and gives hope.
Analysis: Isn’t it something that when these epistles are read, the meat of them all tilt in similar ways?
Preach the Gospel is found, however…
Watch over your soul and the souls of the brothers and sisters in the local church are also found—sometimes with specific and particular focus.
What could the situation be that Peter is addressing in this first sentence of Chapter 3? Is it that some forgetfulness was occurring? Was a lack of diligent pursuit of Jesus Christ happening?
I wonder what it looked like? I guess if I examine myself, perhaps I could take a guess.
If I was forgetting, what would that look like? Probably like permitting the cares of the world to SLOWLY take predominance over the active pursuit of the Lord Most High. Maybe SLOWLY substituting tasks to take the place of study. Maybe SLOWLY letting prayer to be mostly at meals and a quick shot up to the ceiling. Maybe SLOWLY letting fellowship being only about meals, sports, movies…
Maybe SLOWLY relaxing against being a disciple.
What happens in me is the creeping sensation of Jesus Christ becoming less preferential in my daily life.
Would I be in a situation to renounce Jesus as Lord? Goodness, no; at least I pridefully assert that I wouldn’t. Would I be in a situation where trying to identify godliness, any kind of godliness, even a smidgen of godliness may be difficult to downright impossible? Uhh, yeah, I could. And have.
I can forget to watch over my soul and my brother’s soul while trying to focus on the Great Commission. Biblical reality says I need to do both to the exclusion of neither. Think that’s hard? Me, too.
What do I do to address both? I study the doctrines of God; those lessons of the prophets and apostles and godly men that came ages before me. I must stand on their shoulders if I want to bypass some, but not all, lessons.
Unless I like to be found lacking in maturity…
Prayer: Lord, writing these journal entries are not supposed to be peaches and cream all the time, right? I need to be looking intently in the mirror to see what kind of man I am—and more importantly I think, not to be afraid nor disappointed in what I see. If I see clearly, armed with the knowledge of the Gospel, then hope is generated because of the promise of the Gospel. And I am hopeful, O Lord of my Salvation. AMEN.