Scripture

Our verse for today comes from 2 Peter 3:11, “Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness.”

Background

My wife sees some unfortunate situations at the hospital where she works. Her patients may be recovering from a serious surgery, receiving treatment for a life-threatening condition, or simply getting their weekly medication for a lifelong ailment that they have. The good news is, some of the patients being treated are well on their way to returning to full health. Unfortunately, though, too many of them are not healthy and will remain that way, even after they leave the hospital. But it’s not a disease that they will continue to struggle with once they return home. It’s being overweight. And as often as she sees and deals with it, my wife still comes home preaching the same sermon. If they knew what it would be like to not be able to get out of bed or go to the bathroom on their own, then surely they would have kept themselves from becoming so large. She believes that a person who knew that they wouldn’t be able to do something as fundamental as clean themselves in the restroom would do whatever necessary to keep from getting in that condition. But it’s just not so. A foreboding future is a weak motivator for correct behavior. We’ve seen it with smokers, with motorcycle riders, with high school dropouts, with drunk drivers, and many other poor decision-makers.

Application

So when we read here, and in so many other verses, that fire is coming and will one day wipe out everything that is, we may not take it as seriously as we should. The scoffers that Peter is addressing totally dismissed the cataclysm of the flood and said that everything is as it always has been, so why should we anticipate Christ’s return? People avoid doing wrong for different reasons. They also do what’s right for various reasons. What you’ve got to decide is what you’re going to do, and why you’re going to do it. You know what is important, and you know Who needs to be honored. What else will it take to convince you to make some changes and leave behind those bad choices?

Charge

As we seek Him today, ask God to reveal more of His love to you. Seek to make that your sole motivation for what you’ll do and not do.

Salvation – Eternal Life in Less Than 150 Words