Thursday 15 May 2014

Background

"Godpicked a dead poppy stalk with a fat seed head and twirled it in athoughtful sort of way. 'How do you explain to a pupa the need forthe chrysalis or describe to it a butterfly?' he said. Jessicawiped her nose on her sleeve again. 'One day you will understand,'said God."
(from Winter Chills, in Bumping into God by Jenny Dyer)

Patience is a virtue, according to Peter.Many people within the early Church, it seems, had began to thinkthat God was being rather slow about things. They had been promisedJesus' return and a new heaven and a new earth - but where was it?Patience, says Peter. The Lord is "not wanting any to perish, butto come to repentance" (v. 10). Whilst people are still waiting,there is still time for them to turn to God. In the promised day ofthe Lord, our lives will be exposed - the Lord, it seems, wants togive us plenty of time to get them ready for inspection.

From God's perspective, where a thousandyears is like a day, Jesus' return isn't far away at all. But tothose people living in the 'not yet', how is it possible to explainwhat will come afterwards? Or the need for a delay? "How do youexplain to a pupa the need for the chrysalis or describe to it abutterfly?"

To Ponder

• Why do you think it is so rare to hear sermons about 'whathappens next'?

• While we wait, to what extent does it seem like the world is'coming to repentance' or perishing?