A Path Among the Rocks

“Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness,”

2 Peter 3:11 (ESV)

When I was a kid growing up on our country farm, I didn’t have access to the refined things found in a cultured life.  No theatres to which you could go to see plays, the ballet, musicals or the opera.  But I did have Bugs Bunny.  The Looney Tunes cartoons brought operas with Elmer Fudd and bits of Shakespeare’s plays as performed by Bugs Bunny and the other Looney Tunes cast of characters. 

In “A Witch’s Tangled Hare,” Bugs quoted that famous question from Hamlet – “To Be or Not to Be?” in response to Witch Hazel’s discussion about the right apartment number – was it 2B or not 2B?

I loved those old cartoons.  Culture in a cartoon – you can’t beat that.  I thought of that question (Hamlet’s, not Bugs Bunny’s) when I read the verse above.  Now Shakespeare’s Hamlet was contemplating whether to continue suffering through his life or to end it.  Our verse today isn’t asking us to consider our death but to consider our living.  

2 Peter 3 describes what will happen to the earth and the people in the last days before Christ’s return (2 Peter 3:1-10) and what will happen after He returns and brings a new heaven and a new earth with Him (2 Peter 3:13).  And right in the middle of the before and after is our verse 11 and Peter’s encouragement to believers about the quality of their lives. 

Peter is suggesting that, in light of these events to come, our lives should be filled with holiness and godliness – looking forward to our future.  Living on purpose.  2 Peter 3:14 (NLT) goes on to say this: “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.” 

That sounds like good advice, but what are your efforts focused on today?  Do you find yourself overwhelmed by the cares of this world, trying to make ends meet, or trying to raise your kids in a world gone crazy?  Perhaps you are working desperately to save your marriage, forgiving the impossible.  Or are you grieving the loss of your loved one, or exhausted from being the adult caregiver to your aging parent?  It’s a lot, isn’t it?    

With all our plates that seem to be spinning out of control too much of the time, I don’t know about you, but words like “living peaceful lives” and being holy, godly, pure and blameless can be intimidating and may feel like they are unreachable or unattainable. 

Now before we allow ourselves to get too overwhelmed by what we think may be unattainable, we need to use our defensive verse to remind us that “God’s divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence”  (2 Peter 1:3). This tells me from the beginning that God’s power has already given us all we need for our lives and our godliness.  We should always remember that the Bible is never going to promise us something in one place and take that promise away in another place.  The Bible never contradicts itself, and we should be careful that we don’t allow our hearts to contradict the Bible in what we believe about ourselves (1 John 3:20). 

If God has given us all we need for godliness, then what’s our part?  Our part is to put into practice those things that will sharpen and strengthen what God has already given to us through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.  I hope to write a book someday about pressing forward into living worthy of that sacrifice.

Hebrews 10:35 tells us not to throw away our confidence. Verse 36 that follows tells us that we need to have endurance, so that when we will have done the will of God, we will receive what He promised to give us when He returns. Hang in there, dear friend. God makes the impossible possible. 

God is so good and He loves you so much.  He will help you with all your plates today so that you can press on to take hold of what He has for you. 

Defensive:  2 Peter 1:3 – His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence.

Proactive:  Philippians 3:12:  Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me His own.

Promise:  Philippians 1:6 – And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jeus Christ.