I am no Bible scholar. This devotional is meant for reflections only and to get you thinking about your relationship with God. I was however, taken by all of the discussion I read about the authorship of 2 Peter. If not Peter, then it was an individual who was an educated Greek speaker from a Jewish background. I am not going to get caught up in the “who” but only in the “what.” Let’s see what we can unpack today.
This letter opens with a standard greeting and time of thanksgiving. Is there anything in the opening that strikes you? I suppose for me it was the idea that my faith was given to me. I suppose when you think about it, where else would faith come from? It didn’t just appear, and apparently faith isn’t something we create in ourselves. Faith is precious and we should treat it that way.
Faith is a gift. A revelation of the truth that leads us to believe a certain way. It’s also not a “once and done” kind of gift. It is a gift that keeps giving. The blessing goes like this: “May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord.” Along with that grace and peace comes faith. As our knowledge grows, our faith follows suit.
As we continue to grow in faith by nurturing our relationship with God, we are given more. God is a giving God. He makes sure we have what we need to live a godly life. Note, that isn’t a life of wealth and abundance, but a godly life, a life with purpose, filled with promises and a future. That is the kind of life we are all promised.
Sometimes we judge ourselves by the level of success we have achieved in this life. We measure it by how many cars are in the garage, the square footage of our homes, and whether our financial portfolio is performing well. Success should be less tangible and more relational. How is your relationship with God? Is there anything amiss there? Do you need to ask forgiveness for something and have been afraid to do so?
God has given us so much. How are we responding to his gifts? Are we able to “escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires?” We can not do this on our own. Our human desires are a force to be reckoned with on their own.
What are the driving forces that get you out of bed every day? When your feet hit the floor are you ready and willing to be used by God for his purposes, or is your agenda already full of what you want for you?
Take some time today to focus in on your human desires. Are they keeping you from God? Remember, God called you, he “called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.”
Let’s pray. Father God, I give you thanks today for all you have given me to prepare me for a life with you. You have chosen me for your work here on earth, and I pray that I am always in your will. Forgive me when I try to take on too much and forget what’s most important – YOU! In Jesus’ name. Amen.
