Looking Forward

 

DEVOTION

THE 2^ND LETTER OF PETER

LOOKING FORWARD

2 Peter 3:11-13

11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.

NIV

So because the heavens will disappear with the roar and all the elements will be destroyed by fire and the earth will be laid bare, or all our works burned up, there is a way in which we are to live. There is a kind of people we ought to be. That seems pretty simple, we ought to live holy and godly lives. Yet the Greek has a slightly different way of saying it. The Greek says that considering everything will be destroyed that way what kind of people we should be in holy conduct and godliness, however, the word translated as in can also be on, by, with, at, and among, depending on its placement to another word. So it could also be as the NIV states. The point is still the same as we should be living a reverend walk, or a walk that is connected to God which possesses a certain distinction and claim to reverence, as places sacred to God and should not be profaned. However, as people, and not a place, we are still to walk connected and in service of God, set apart for God, to be, as it were exclusively his. That is only the definition of holy. Then we have to add godly. This is living with reverence or piety toward God, so it is not about looking holy and godly, or living by some legalistic, ritualistic manner, abiding by all the rules and regulations, or lists to check off of the things we do not do and things we do. This is about living being connected to God, in His service, rather than in service to ourselves, adding Christianity to our way of life. The reason we should live completely connected to God, holy and godly living, looking forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That is something we need to ponder on more. How do we speed the coming of the day of God? Is by our living a holy and godly life speed the coming of the day of God? Then we have to pay closer attention to just what those definitions of holy and godly are. We also should be set on it coming, rather than thinking about things we want to accomplish in life. Our life is supposed to be in service to Him, being set apart exclusively for Him. We have to spend more time thinking about what that means. We have to explore this more, but for now, let us remind ourselves, we belong to God, and we should be living in such a manner, looking forward to his coming for us.