Looking Forward

Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blame.

II Peter 3:14

How shall we make best use of our time while we look forward to the new heavens and the new earth which Christ will bring to be?  We understand that the future holds great promise, that ‘Jesus shall reign where’er the sun, does his successive journeys run.’  We have to live in the present, even though we have an eye to the future.  Peter offers some practical advice, ‘Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blame.’  Here is some useful counsel.  In essence, ‘You are looking forward to the return of Christ, the new heavens and new earth, so, when Christ arrives let Him find you as Christlike as possible.’  How will that be?  We know our struggles, our failures, and our inconsistencies.  How can we ‘be found by Him in peace without spot and blameless?’  It is very much a matter of fixing our eyes upon Christ.  All the self-improvement, self-discipline, and self-confrontational plans and programs will not get us where looking to Christ will.  It is the contemplation of Christ that leads to the imitation of Christ.  We want to be found by Christ in peace, without spot and blameless.  He Alone can bring us to that condition by His Spirit.  As we diligently look to Christ, His Holy Spirit will work to conform us unto His image, so that when He arrives, He will find us in peace, without spot and blame. 

Our Good and Wise God,
we rejoice in the manner in which You accomplish our redemption.
We praise You that You make it a whole redemption
which transforms us in every way.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning