The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. 2 Peter 3:9-10a

Computer people who send a lot of emails love to joke about “snail mail”.

We who are used to near-instant delivery of our messages scoff at written letters that move at the pace of a snail. It’s supposed to be a joke.

Apparently it’s not a joke in Poland.

On January 3rd, Michal Szybalski received a priority letter mailed on December 20th. He calculated it took 294 hours for the letter to cover less than seven miles.

Michal also calculated a dedicated snail could have covered the distance faster.

Some people feel the same way about God. The Old Testament counts thousands of years between the time God made His promise to send a Savior and the night of His birth in Bethlehem. Numerous generations lived and died waiting for Him to keep His word.

Today, there are many people who have become impatient with the Lord. In the Christian community, there are those who are trying to calculate what-will-always-be-the-unknown-hour of Jesus’ return. Thousands of years since Jesus’ birth and His promised second coming have allowed an unbelieving world to deny God’s presence as they say: “All things are continuing as they have since the creation” (2 Peter 3:4).

If any of you have been wondering why God seems to be so slow, or if He is going to return at all, I encourage you to look to our text for today. By inspiration Peter reminds us that the Lord isn’t slow in keeping His promises. What God is—is patient toward us.

He wants as many people as possible to be called to repentance and salvation by the Holy Spirit. He wants the salvation story of the Savior to touch as many lost and sinful souls as possible.

But don’t think—not for a minute—that Jesus isn’t coming. He will show, and the world needs to be ready to welcome its Savior, Redeemer, and long-but-not-eternally suffering Friend.

THE PRAYER: Dear heavenly Father for this day, for the time You have given, I am most grateful. May I, with all of my Christian comrades, make use of these moments so souls now lost may see their Savior. In Jesus’ Name I pray it. Amen.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Today's Bible Readings: Exodus 1-3    Matthew 24:1-28

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