God is Patient and Promise-Keeping

 

“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.”

—2 Peter 3:9

Did you ever try to learn something from someone and, no matter how hard you tried to listen carefully and follow directions, you just could not complete the task properly? Frustrating, wasn’t it? I know exactly how you feel.

My dad was an excellent craftsman. He had trained and became a journeyman carpenter. He could maintain his own vehicle. Of course, this was in the days long before electronic ignition, computer-controlled emissions systems, and the other sophisticated automotive engineering of today. He single-handedly built an addition onto our modest home.

But, to my dad, I was a complete klutz. I did not seem to have the intuitive sense that guided his craftsman’s hands. I understood how a combustion engine worked. But, I could not properly repair even the most simple problem.

For one thing, I really didn’t like the feeling of grease and oil on my hands. I much preferred something that was quite a bit more pristine. I think that’s why I became enamored of electronics. I could work on a piece of electronic equipment and keep relatively clean. In fact, for the sake of the electronic equipment, it’s obvious that “the cleaner the better.”

One thing about my dad, when he made a promise, he kept that promise. He also had a great deal of patience when he was working on a difficult problem. He did not seem to have quite as much patience with me. But, I’m sure my own lack of patience confused and frustrated my dad and made him more impatient than he would normally be.

No matter how much we may try God’s patience, His love always supercedes any frustration He may feel toward us. He always keeps His promises and He always patiently waits for us to respond to His open and outstretched hands.

Of all of our Lord’s disciples, most likely the Apostle Peter understood more keenly how very patient God was and how much of a “promise keeper” Jesus was, as well. Notice what Peter wrote in his second letter, as recorded in 2 Peter 3:9:

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.

Yes, God’s keeps His promises. And, He shows infinite patience with those He has called to belong to Himself.

We can rejoice this day with the full and sure knowledge that God is a patient God. He is a promise-keeping God. He is a holy God. And, He is a loving God. He is, of course, the very best God we could ever possibly have.

 

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