2 Peter, 3 : 9

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Today my contemplation on these words have brought me to understand the patience and the love of God. Now that I have children of my own who try my patience sometimes to a point of vexation, I understand the depth of God's patience. His children choose to do so much unimaginable evil, and yet He waits patiently for them to make correct choices, to understand His nature, to see the goal He really wants them to achieve which is to be like Him. He is the ultimate parent. He stands by with great consuming love, allowing his children to suffer the knocks and consequences of their poor choices for the greater good of wisdom, understanding and maturity.

As a parent, I do much the same at a human level. How I long to be like Him! But I am reminded however, that I am a work in progress. There are moments when I bubble up with great joy, when my child has had a revelation, a moment of wisdom or when he has realized the error of his ways and is truly sorry for his transgression, and I know he will carry the lesson in his mind for the rest of his life. Can you imagine the Father's joy when we even have a small inkling of His ways and especially if we begin to conform to them and apply them to our lives.

In the context of my own children, I long to see them grow up to be committed Christians. Totally at peace, and to have exceeding joy, abundant life and a level of maturity beyond their years. I long to give them the best, to establish them so that they may be blessed in adulthood and it is so easy now to see just how much our Father wants the same for us.

If I work hard for the kids, often putting their needs before my own, I know also that my Father God, who created me, is also hard at work for me.

So, I can rest in this precious knowledge. I can trust in His direction and allow Him to lead me. I can open myself up to Him in confidence knowing that He will not betray my trust. I can pour out my love to Him and know that I am loved deeply in return.

"Father God, I pray and I command, by the authority I have as your child, a special blessing on those who read this and look to You for hope, that the eyes of their mind be opened to a deeper understanding of who You really are. In Jesus name. Amen"

2 Peter 2:26

"For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. "

How miserable is the Christian, who knowing God's goodness, deliberately continues in wickedness. I know, I have been there and I am sure there are many who have had a sojourn in this 'wilderness'. Sometimes we make bad choices, refusing to listen to the still small voice of the Holy Spirit. We may have rebelled because of our circumstances, due to the fact that we have not seen a speedy answer to our prayers. Our pride will not let us acknowledge our wrong doing, but we are extremely uncomfortable in our wilderness of sin. We lose our joy, our peace and our communication with the Lord and we are extremely miserable. Our emptiness is even greater than before we were born again.

Can anyone relate? Do not turn away from the holy commandment and if you have, acknowledge quickly and return to our loving Father. Please don't choose the wilderness of sin and misery for you will find yourself worse off than before you were born again. I know, I have been there.

"Holy Father, I love you. Teach us your ways, even through ALL our circumstances. Make us pliable and teachable and ready to acknowledge our errors. Sharpen our attention to the voice of the Holy Spirit, that our actions, our words and our thoughts may wholly be like you. Lord, I command a special blessing on all who share in this prayer. In Jesus precious name, I pray. Amen"

2 Peter Chapter 1 : 4-8

I know, it has been awhile since my fingers flew over my keyboard keys. I was busy trying to figure out the taxes. I never imagined that it would have been so hard. We came to Canada 9 years ago, from a tax free environment and this aspect of Canada has been my hardest part. For the past three years or so, I was determined to try and understand the system, and although I think I have made mistakes, I seem to be grasping it. It is even more hard, when you try to be honest. Honesty as with every other virtue does not come easily. I measure my actions by The Word, and I come up short every time. But as I yield, I find that His change is being worked into me.

Today I contemplate on 2 Peter 1:4-8.

"4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Once again, I am reminded that our goal is to be like Him. We have rich promises of a sure salvation. We have escaped corruption, and we partake in His divine nature, some of the characteristics of which are mentioned here. We should give all diligence to faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, charity. As we yield, we will find that these characteristics are being formed in us.

May our God of glory Bless you and transform you into His precious likeness. Karen