OUR DAILY BREAD : IN PRAISE OF SLOWNESS

[cimi]

February 8
Monday


IN PRAISE
OF SLOWNESS

READ:
2 Peter 3:1-9
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The Lord is not slack
concerning His
promise, as some
count slackness.
__2 Peter 3:9
____________________________________________________________

If there were a contest for most popular virtue, I suspect that "fast" would beat "best." Many parts of the world seem to be obsessed with speed. The "fast" craze, however, is getting us nowhere--fast.

"The time has come to challenge our obsession with doing everything more quickly," says Carl Honore in his book In Praise of Slowness, "Speed is not always the best policy."

According to the bible, he's right. Peter warned that in the last days people would doubt God because it seems He is slow ("slack") in fulfilling His promise to return. Peter pointed out, however, that this seeming slowness is a good thing. God is actually demonstrating His patience by giving people more time to repent (2 Peter 3:9), and also being true to His character, as in patient or slow to anger (Ex. 34:6).

We too must be slow to become angry--and slow to speak (James 1:19). According to James, "quickness" is reserved for our ears. We're supposed to be quick to listen. Think about how much trouble we could avoid if we learned to listen--really listen, not just stop talking--before we speak.

In our rush to meet goals and deadlines, let's remember to speed up our listening and to slow down our tempers and our tongues.

__Julie Ackerman Link.

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``````````````Dear heart, let perfect patience be thy goal;```````````
``````````````It is the way earth's noblest souls have trod.``````````
`````````````````'Tis just a calm adjustment of the soul````````````
```````````In all things to the perfect will of God. __Hayward````````
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When you're tempted to lose patience with another,
think how patient God has been with you.

************Today's Bible Reading __ 2 Peter 3:1-9***************

1 Beloved, I now write to
you this second epistle (in
both of which I stir up your
pure minds by way of
reminder), 2 that you may
be mindful of the words
which were spoken before
by the holy prophets, and of
the commandment of us,
the apostles of the Lord and
Savior, 3 knowing this first:
that scoffers will come in
the last days, walking
according to their own
lusts, 4 and saying, "Where
is the promise of His
coming? For since the
fathers fell asleep, all things
continue as they were from
the beginning of creation."

5 For this they willfully
forget: that by the word of
God the heavens were of
old, and the earth standing
out of water and in the
water, 6 by which the world
that then existed perished,
being flooded with water.

7 But the heavens and the
earth which are now
preserved by the same
word, are reserved for fire
until the day of judgment
and perdition of ungodly
men.

8 But, beloved, do not
forget this one thing, that
with the Lord one day is as
a thousand years, and a
thousand years as one day.

9 The Lord is not slacK
concerning his promise, as
some count slackness, but is
longsuffering toward us, not
willing that any should
perish but that all should
come to repentance.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Peter's words of warning about God's ultimate judgment of the
world are also reminders of God's sustaining power. The same word
of God (v.5) that created the universe in which we live and decreed
the ancient flood (v.6) is even now maintaining and preserving the
creation (v.7) for our good and His glory. __BILL CROWDER

[lizzie]

Think about how much trouble we could avoid if we learned to listen--really listen, not just stop talking--before we speak.

Indeed!

Awesome message there sis.

Luv u and GBU