2 Peter 3:11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.
Hmmm . . . Yesterday I wrote about losing my stuff on judgment day, either by sneak thievery or by a world-burning blast. Today, Peter says there's some new stuff coming.
He says we're looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth. New stuff? Well, either I get a new suit and a new place to live, or the weather will be so nice and the grass so soft I can stay outside all the time. And I'll look so good it won't matter what I wear. Either way, it will be a vast improvement.
I don't spend a lot of time speculating about the eternal life that's coming, but it does reassure me that Peter mentions the new earth. I like earth just fine, especially the parts of it we haven't messed up yet. Maybe my eternal life will be in a perfect version. That thought is kind of comforting.
Whatever it's going to be, Peter has a bit of advice for me as I wait: live a holy and godly life, and speed the coming of that great day. Speed it how? By evangelizing? By prayer? All of the above?
It's interesting to note (verse 11) that while there is no eternal value in all the earthly stuff that will be destroyed, there is value in what we decide to be. Being (a holy, godly person who speeds the day, for example) is much more important than having.
The best investment of my resources is in becoming more like Jesus. Yeah, I'd still like a bigger TV, but it's just going to burn anyway.
No comments:
Post a Comment