Reminders

 2 Peter 1:12 So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. 13 I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, 14 because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.

After 11 verses of talking about God's promises, our knowledge, and how we can participate in our own sanctification, Peter says something interesting. In effect, he says, "I know you already know these things, but I'm going to repeat them anyway." Why? Peter wants to leave a legacy. Peter is aging, and life as a fisherman has meant hard use of his body. He knows his time will come, and he says he expects it soon. 

So Peter's intent is to repeat himself so much that when he's gone, these crucial teachings will be remembered. Folks will say, "Peter always said . . . " Or maybe, they won't remember where they heard it but when the time comes, they'll know.

More than that, hopefully habits will remain. Peter encourages knowledge augmented by Christian virtues. His reminders probably induced more than one person to study and have daily devotions, and those habits would linger.

That's good news for parents, who repeat the same things over and over again with little apparent result. It's encouraging for pastors, too, for the same reason. 

And it's encouraging to me, on both sides. For one thing, I want to take Peter's words to heart, to be a part of his legacy of knowledgable believers. But I also feel strengthened to keep being a voice crying (or writing) in the wilderness, repeating over and over the great good news even if most days it seems these words vanish into the void. 

Peter sets a great example: I will continue to remind you of what you already know, so that you will remember it.