Blameless

There's a new heaven and a new earth coming; God promised. And when I get there, instead of this old worn-out body with the creaky knees and achy back and saggy flesh, I'll have a new body too.

Peter has some words of advice for me, to help me get ready. In 2 Peter 3:14-15 he writes, "So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him."

Problem is, Peter's advice seems impossible to me. Spotless? I smeared dirt all over my clean white soul a long time ago. Blameless? There's so much that's my fault, including my own choices and my own sin. At peace with God? Sometimes the only way I can bear my own guilt is to keep Him at arm's length.

Why couldn't Peter give me something I can do, like put blankets and food and water in the trunk of my car? That's the kind of preparation I like, the kind I can check off the list, the kind that gets done once and stays done. But an impossible set of requirements that I'll labor at unsuccessfully for the rest of my life? That seems hopeless, not to mention unfair.

But just as I get discouraged, Peter gently reminds me of something: "Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation . . ." He doesn't say that if I just keep trying, I can do it. He doesn't say my own spotlessness, blamelessness and peacefulness will do it. He says God's patience will.

Meaning what? Maybe that God will never get tired of encouraging as I keep getting back up, dusting myself off, and trying again. Maybe that He will never grow impatient at my snail-like progress. Maybe that He is going to take His sweet time as I struggle in my own weakness and cling to His sweet grace, time that will mellow me and age me like fine wine until one day, I'm something presentable.

What I do know is this: My part is to "make every effort." The measurement of success is the sincerity of my desire and persistence of my attempts, not my actual blamelessness. If I do that, the Lord in his infinite patience will do the rest.