Jesus is Worth Waiting For – December 13, 2023

Read: 2 Peter 3:8-14

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.

Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 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. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.
2 Peter 3:8-14

Jesus is Worth Waiting For

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

No one likes to wait a long time for something. Sometimes it feels like it’ll take forever for your birthday to come. Sometimes you are at a restaurant and you’re so hungry, but the food is taking forever. Sometimes you have to wait your turn to play, and it feels like forever.

God’s Word talks about what it means to wait. Peter was writing to people tired of waiting for God help them. They wondered, “Why is God so slow? Why hasn’t he come back yet and made everything better again?” Listen to Peter’s answer: “God is not slow the way we think of slow. After all, for God, a thousand years is nothing. The reason God is waiting to bring his final judgment is so that more and more people can come to know him and his Son, Jesus.”

This time of the year many Christian churches talk about what it means to wait patiently. Many Christians who are suffering pain and loss wonder why God doesn’t just go ahead and usher us all into his new heaven and new earth right now. After all, people wonder, wouldn’t that be better?

Of course it will. But there is a reason to wait for that day. There are people that God still wants to come to know and believe in his Son. That takes time. And so God waits. And so do we. We wait because we know that no matter how long God waits, no amount of time changes what has already happened. Jesus has already died for our sins. Jesus has already risen from the grave. Jesus has already ascended to rule over all things. And right now, he is looking out for all of us. He is patient. He is wise. And he is our King. And he’s coming back—he promised!

It can be hard to wait, that’s for sure. But even if it’s hard to wait for Jesus, it’s always worth it.

Closing Prayer:

Dear Jesus, we look forward to the day when you will make all things new, just as you have promised. We look forward to the day when we will no longer be hurting or crying. We look forward to seeing you face to face. Help us to wait patiently for that day and to remember that you are patiently calling more and more people to the same hope we have. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

• Have you ever felt that something was “taking forever”? What was it? Did it actually take “forever”?
• The Bible says that Jesus will return, but we don’t know when that will be. What reason does the Bible give for Jesus waiting to return?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

• How does waiting for Christmas help us practice waiting for Jesus to return?
• What makes you most excited about meeting Jesus and being with him forever?

Questions for Middle School and Above

• Share three things about life in a sinful world that you won’t miss when Jesus returns and takes us to heaven.
• God is still calling people to know his Son Jesus in our time and place. Name two ways that can happen. Then evaluate your part in those ways.