“God Is Not Slack” (Ready to Worship S6E14)

In this season of Ready to Worship, we have been examining the God Is and the God Is Not statements of the Bible. As we have done so, we have come to know the God that we worship better. Hopefully, our worship has grown richer and deeper with each study. In this episode, we want to notice that God is not slack.

Peter wrote, “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 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” (2 Pet. 3:8-9).  Please notice that the passage speaks of a single promise. While it is true that God is not slack concerning any of His promises, one promise seems to be in view in this passage. The promise that is under consideration in this passage is the promise of Christ’s second coming. Some were saying that Christ was never going to come again. Amazingly, they argued that things had continued without interruption since the beginning of time. Peter presented Noah’s flood as proof that such a contention was false. He then addressed Christ’s coming.  The fact that Christ had not yet come was not evidence of the Lord’s slackness or slowness to keep His promise. It was proof of His patience. He had not come because He did not want anyone to perish. He wanted all to come to repentance. Obviously, we live even further from the promise that Christ made to return. We have been witness to even greater patience. If this doesn’t make us want to worship God, then I don’t know what would. We praise the Lord because He waited on those of Peter’s day. We praise the Lord because He waited on us. We praise the Lord because He is even now waiting on others.  Perhaps, the words of Paul to Timothy are appropriate here also. We read, “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:3-4).

As we get ready to worship this week, let’s remember that the Lord is not slack with His promise to return. He is coming again. Let’s worship Him for waiting on others to come to repentance.