psst – be sure to scroll to the bottom for instructions for this week’s #SheSharesTruth passage!
Text: 2 Peter 3:8-9
The very first chapter of the book of Psalms opens with this beautiful image of those who meditate on God’s Word:
Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither…
Psalm 1:1-4, ESV
In the original Hebrew, one definition of our word “meditate” is “to mutter” — to repeat something over and over, whether for memorization or self-instruction or just a good, ole fashioned effort to let it sink in. As a person who may or may not talk to herself on occasion – ahem – this is a concept of meditation I can relate to. Sometimes I don’t just need to read the words, write the words, hear the words, repeat the words — sometimes I need it all. This heart of mine can be pretty hard, you guys.
Today — as women who desire to mutter God’s very words, to let them be water to our parched roots and life to our dry leaves — let’s meditate on 2 Peter 3:8-9.
You may use these prompts below to guide your thoughts and prayers, if you’d like, or simply rest in the passage a while. Be still before your Maker and your Redeemer. Hear Him alone in the words of scripture.
For reflection:
Hear how the imagery of of verse 8 sets our God not just as the ruler of time, but completely free of it. What freedom does that bring to you today?
How do you feel when you think of the sovereign Lord of all creation being patient for you, waiting on you and with you?
How does the nature of God as presented in these verses change your perception of and heart toward others?
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We have another #SheSharesTruth assignment this week and we’d love for you to participate! This time we invite you to study and share 1 Corinthians 2:1-5. As you read, pray and write together, may your words to each other not be a demonstration of your wisdom but “of the Spirit and power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” (v.5)
To read more about the idea and heart behind #SheSharesTruth, go here. To see a list of community share from last week, go here. We hope you’ll join us as we study and share as a community on the passage of 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 this Friday!
{Here are a couple graphics you can choose from to use in your posts! Feel free to click, save and share at will. xo}
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31 thoughts on "meditation: 2 Peter 3:8-9"
Grand post.Now for you good crosswords help we got paradox to be meditated on crosswords solution clue. A contradiction in requisites of Mindfulness contemplation. It give the impression to me with the intention of the quintessence of zen Buddhism is scholarship the talent of scheming the brainpower through.Thanks for you.
Dianne….Praying for you sister.
Back on track. Trying to catch up. Missing my SRT ladies. Love. Love. Love. The Message. He is restraining himself on account of you….. Giving everyone space and time to change.
Oh how that makes my heart beam today. Filled to the fullest. Filled with hope! There's hope for me yet! :)
I thought of these verses as I read the devotional tonight.
Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Romans 5:3-5 NIV)
"He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither…" (Psalm 1:4 )
Lord, how good you are, to grant this for your servants in your grace and mercy. I was really squirmy and struggling with meditation today… I have still not yet quieted myself. I ended up praying, "Lord, make me more than what I am… change all of me. I can't be this way, and only you can change me. Make me more than what I am." All is not lost, and God is still working in my squirmy, messy, flawed human being… in His own timing, which I cannot even fathom. To hear that as I meditate on His word day and night, He'll make me prosper (even when I struggle to do so) and that He'll bless me fills me with humility. Lord, you are good. Do your perfectly timed work in me.
"quieted myself" — I really mean let God quiet me. Lord, I give all up to you!
Firstly, I found this quote to be most informative: "In the original Hebrew, one definition of our word “meditate” is “to mutter” — to repeat something over and over, whether for memorization or self-instruction or just a good, ole fashioned effort to let it sink in." I have never known this definition of meditation nor mutter. And I love words and word studies. And I, too, am one who need to repeat and repeat. I can memorize Scripture and recall it for a short while, but after a while, I can only recall bits and pieces. I need more muttering, looks like.
Pondering God's thousand years to a day, makes me realize that my waiting time for something, whether it is for a need, a call, a job, any reason, God has the perfect plan for me and His timing is also perfect. So depending upon Him for however long for whatever needs, it is okay. I need to continue learning that each morning is His and He will lay out His plan for me today, and then for the next today. That truly is a freedom that I do not understand fully, but want to. I have faith in God and want to trust Him for each day, for each moment, for each thousand years. Oh, what a blessing this will be.
Much to ponder, and I have been blessed, ~ linda
Beautiful Linda. God has blessed me through you.
So speechless. I felt like the Lord was writing this right to me. He is constantly molding & working on my heart, and meditating on these verses shaped me into something different today. Thank you! Happy Monday, everyone.
The God who exists outside the constraints or realm of time patiently waits for His children to get it right. Wow! I'm overwhelmed by that alone. Thank you God!
Patience,long suffering,while waiting,not easy,but with His long suffering,mercy,and love to me,I know I will have the victory
I live with constant verbal abuse,especially on Sundays,bible study mornings,prayer meeting nights,etc. It has been over 40 years and I feel like I am wandering in the wilderness,while He is still working on me to,see this person through Christ's eyes,I think I must be a slow learner?? Some days I handle it well with His help,then other days I totally blow it.I still have His joy and peace in my life regardless,knowing He was tempted in every way I have and much,much more with no sin. Without Christ I would be lost and I am soo thankful for His patience with me and I know in His time it will all work out according lot His will. I love the little chorus "He is still working on me,to make me what I ought to be" :)
Hannah, thanks for sharing about your depression. I know where you are coming from! Psalms 139 has always brought me comfort. The amazing thing is that you are coming out of it. Not everyone does! I hope this week you have a lot of peace.
Amen! I love love these daily devotions!!
I think sometimes I am willing to wait on The Lord but there are other people in my life who are expecting things from me who are not so willing to wait. Trusting Him to take care of those details is part of developing our faith. Watching Him work miracles in those circumstances is amazing and increases our faith. I have learned to try to stay out of His way but not 100%! These verses and your comments help me to remember to daily give the battle over to Him!
Ahh, let me be more like you Jesus. Than you Jesus, you are PATIENTLY waiting for me!
It's kind of comforting to know that, since the time of the first century Christians, we've been an impatient people. Granted, their impatience was warranted – they were suffering persecution and no doubt were anxious for deliverance. I think of my kids in the backseat… "are we there yet?" And my invariable response – "We'll get there when we get there!"
In His time, as hard as it is for us impatient little children…
This is such a deep, amazing passage. Before these two verses, Peter says that God /spoke/ the heavens to the age they appear. "That by the word of God the heavens were of old". This bit really is amazing to think about, especially being a high schooler, because there is so much controversy that I hear about the age of the earth and whatnot. When honestly, there is our answer right there. The earth and the heavens above are the age that God wants them to be. Wow. And not only that, but in the recommended reading, it says that God's patients for us is so great that 1000years is like a day, and visa versa. What a blessing today's reading has been to me. And it's still 6:45AM. No telling what He will lead my heart to during the rest of the day meditating over this!
He is willing to wait for each of us. He wants our obedience, but even more, He wants our hearts of our own free will. How amazing is that?
I'm thankful for a Lord who is patient toward me. And yet, so often, I want what I want when I want it from him. Such a contradiction. I'm so glad God's timing is perfect, and he is not swayed by my selfish desires.
" As you read, pray and write together, may your words to each other not be a demonstration of your wisdom but “of the Spirit and power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” (v.5)
Thank you for this reminder today! Sometimes the line is blurred between staying true to a passage of Scripture and touting my own "wisdom" (which I often forget is not very wise!). Father, may the words shared this week be You speaking, You showing forth Your power through us. May You get all the glory. In Jesus' Name.
I could almost feel myself in the room as these words were spoken by Simon Peter ……(from The Message)…..'don't overlook the obvious here, friends, With God one day is as good as a thousand years, a thousand years as a day.God isn't late with His promise as some measure lateness. He is restraining himself on account of you, holding back the End because He doesn't want anyone lost. He is giving everyone time and space to change'……
In this world of 'need 'everything yesterday' I guess it's easy to take on that mind set…I remember the days of letter writing….waiting in anticipation for the reply….looking forward to holding 'that' letter in my hand, smelling it, holding it to my heart, …..finding somewhere private and quiet to read those special words I had longed to hear/read, smiling as I read, and knowing that my words had been received in love…..waiting for a letter back then was something else…..God is giving us a chance, space and time to change…..and waiting in anticipation for (our letter)our heart, our soul, to hold it to His heart…..hoping that His words have penetrated our hearts and mind and soul, that we have surrendered to Him who has nothing but love, Grace, mercy, forgiveness, faithfulness, redemption …you name it….if it saves us from ourselves, it is ours, because He doesn't want to lose us….not one of us…..God wants us for His own….
Lord, I pray that each day, I make a pledge to you, to sign your name across my heart, to say yes to you and you alone..to write you a letter and wait in anticipation for your reply, which I know will be life giving, joy bringing, faith building, hope giving and full of Love….you are my God, my friend….Thank you for waiting for me, for hanging back to save me, so I was not lost…Thank you Lord….AMEN….
Happy Monday ladies… Blessings with love…x x x
"…He is giving everyone time and space to change." Wow. How often do I white knuckle my own progress or compare myself to others who seem to be "too lost to help"? I have friends who've strayed from faith, and I am now convicted of the frustration and annoyance I feel at them. He is patient with me, even today… even in my own pride and evil sin… to change me in the way that He truly wants me to, to finally listen to His voice, to submit my all to Him. He's been waiting for me to come to repentance for this. Lord, forgive me for judging others and trying to be in charge of my own progress… you're surely patient with me so that I can change into the person you've destined me to be, and you're patient out of love. Your timing is PERFECT, never lacking, never too quick, but EXACTLY what I need. Lord, help me to be patient and quick to forgive out of love, like you are. Beautiful insight, Tina. Thank you for sharing in the way God has told you to! Praise you, Jesus.
I have been very depressed for a long time with my graduate studies and I felt like it sucked out all the happiness and peace from me. It was a tough battle but I'm finally on my way out of the depression pit. It is still not easy though but knowing that God is not bounded by time brings me so much comfort and joy. He is not slow in His promises. He is very patient with me for my sake. He has great plans for my life and at the right time, I will get there. So glad to know that no matter how many times I fall, He is always there to pick me up and waiting for me to move forward again. As His daughter, it encourages me to be patient with others too and to understand people more. Each one has different burdens to carry and what is easy with others might be difficult for some. One thing remains true though, God was, is and will always be there for each of His children. Thank you God for being patient with all of us.
Amen Hannah, you can rest assure that He will come through ( in ways we cannot imagine, with blessings we cannot begin to fathom – Eph.3:20)!!! Our Daddy will definitely work it out for YOUR GOOD, so pick yourself up, dust yourself and declare His word -Rom.8:28 , Jer:29:11, 2Cor 4: 6- 10 (read vs.8 & 9 and put your name in place of "we"). You are an OVERCOMER!!!!!!!
Awesome words. Love the power in which they were shared
AMEN, mahalia. X
Being in a personal season of waiting, these verses fill me with hope. Hope in my God who is outside of time. Hope in my Lord who is patient and waiting with me. Waiting is tough. Challenges can seem to loom and tantalize much more during ‘the wait.’
But God. But my God is waiting with me. He knows the end of the wait, the outcome I long to know. And it is good because He is good. He is good because this perseverance produces endurance which produces character. He grows me in spite of me. His grace wraps me up.
For anyone else in a season of waiting, I’m praying for you too. May God’s good and perfect will be done in our lives in His perfect time.
Thanks Beverly for your comment. I felt like the whole of 2013 was a season of waiting and trusting. Your words “He grows me in spite of me” very much ring true! I know that God is faithful but trusting it would all work out in his time was hard. This year however has been amazing to see everything come to fruition!
I will be praying for you and hope that these vereses continue to sustain you x
Those waiting seasons are so hard! When we wait on The Lord, it can be disheartening because it feels like nothing is happening, but God is always moving in our lives! Even when we don't see or feel it. Keep in prayer, even if you feel it's the same old prayer every day after day, God hears it fresh and it has new life each time you pray it. I also look to these waiting times as a time to look within and ask God what I need to be working on in myself, what do I need to do to be the best me I can be as I wait for His promise, how can I be refined? What do I need to stop or start doing? Waiting is hard, but it is a little easier when we can shift the focus to allowing God to work in us and prepare us for what comes next! Keep the faith, dig into the Word, keep praying and expect great things!
These verses helped me have hope while I waited before and now, as I wait again. I hope they will encourage you.
Our verse today, Isaiah 26:3 has always been on that list for me, but I also include verse 4 in my meditation "Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength"
Lamentations 3:22-23 "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness."
Isaiah 40:31 "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."
Psalm 37:5 "Commit your way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass"
Thinking and praying for you today :)
Your comment was such an encouragement to me, Beverly. I, too, am in a season of waiting, and just last night I was overwhelmed by it. But it is comforting to know God has no limit on time, the Lord is patient too, and the Holy Spirit waits with me.
I loved what you said about the wait – “It is good because He is good.” And it produces character in me that couldn’t have come about without waiting.
I’m saying an extra prayer this morning for all my sisters who are in a season of waiting right now, and I ask that you would pray for me as well.
"But my God is waiting with me. He knows the end of the wait, the outcome I long to know." Wow. That is so incredibly sweet. It's so hard, in seasons of waiting, to truly realize that the Lord is right there with us– that He is not only far off in the distance with our promise looking over at us, as we sometimes think, but that He is right there with us as well, every step of the way and every second of the wait. The Lord has really been implanting in me through the past few weeks the truth that no matter where I am in life, He is there also– and that being as close as possible with Him is the only thing I should be aiming towards. I am waiting on a lot of things, sure, but those things melt away when I realize that He is near, and that as long as He's close to me, I am completely fulfilled no matter where I'm at.
Jesus, I pray that we'd embrace you and acknowledge your nearness no matter where we are at in life, no matter if we feel "good" enough or like we've "taken the proper steps" to get near to you. Change us to be more like you, as we seek you more and more. I pray your perfect peace would rest on us as we press into you and seek you all the more.