Daily Devotionals

The End Week 2: Tuesday

But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment. 2 Peter 3:10

When I know someone is coming to visit me, I prepare. I clean my home. I buy groceries and ensure my fridge is stocked with their favorite sparkling water. I will probably bake cookies. In other words, I prepare for them. Why? I am expecting them to come. I know that they are coming. You probably do the same thing, too. What would you do, however, if you knew someone was coming but did not know when? I will tell you what I would do. I would prepare as if they were coming that day and then stay prepared so I would not remain caught off guard. In the same way, Scripture teaches that Jesus’ return will be a surprise. It will be unexpected. As a result, we must prepare now and be ready for that time.

Peter spent time teaching about Jesus’ return in 2 Peter 3. As He wrote about the time when Jesus will return, He taught a lesson about God’s timing versus our timing. He said, “A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day” (verse 8). What Peter was explaining here is that Jesus has a different timetable than we do. When it comes to His return, we must remember that we cannot judge His timing by our timing. It may seem like Jesus is taking forever to return, but He has a different perspective of time. Peter also explained that Jesus waits to return so more people will turn to Him (verse 9). He then explained, “the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief” (verse 10). The coming of Jesus will be unexpected and surprising.

Yes, Jesus’ return will be unexpected, but we do have something to hang on to in order to help us be ready for that day, and that is the truth that Jesus is certainly going to return. Because we know Jesus will return, we can begin preparing now, knowing His return will be unexpected. We can start getting ready so that we are prepared when He does return unexpectedly. This means living purposefully and intentionally for God and His kingdom every day. We do this through loving others and obeying His word. Jesus is returning, friends. Are you ready?

Moving toward action

Pull out your journal now and answer this question: what would you do, or how would you live if you knew Jesus was returning tomorrow? After answering this question, evaluate the differences between how you live now and how you would live if you knew Jesus was returning tomorrow. Then think about one way you can bridge the gap between these differences so that you can be better prepared for His return when that day comes.

Going Deeper

2 Peter 3:1-16 (NLT)

" This is my second letter to you, dear friends, and in both of them I have tried to stimulate your wholesome thinking and refresh your memory. 2 I want you to remember what the holy prophets said long ago and what our Lord and Savior commanded through your apostles.

3 Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. 4 They will say, “What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created.”

5 They deliberately forget that God made the heavens long ago by the word of his command, and he brought the earth out from the water and surrounded it with water. 6 Then he used the water to destroy the ancient world with a mighty flood. 7 And by the same word, the present heavens and earth have been stored up for fire. They are being kept for the day of judgment, when ungodly people will be destroyed.

8 But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. 9 The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment.

11 Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live, 12 looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along. On that day, he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames. 13 But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness.

14 And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight.

15 And remember, our Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved. This is what our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom God gave him— 16 speaking of these things in all of his letters. Some of his comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of Scripture. And this will result in their destruction."