EVER-TIMELY REMINDERS
Opening Prayer
Come, Lord Jesus, reveal to me who You are through Your Word.
Read 2 Peter 1:12–21
Prophecy of Scripture
12 So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. 13 I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, 14 because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.
16 For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”[a] 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.
19 We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Footnotes
a 2 Peter 1:17 Matt. 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35
New International Version (NIV)
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Reflect
How many of the virtues we read about yesterday can you remember (without looking!)? Make a list.It’s good to dig deeper as Christians, and to try out helpful new ideas. However, human nature is wayward. Myself, I find it a healthy practice to revisit the essentials of my faith. It is not that I no longer “know” key Christian ideas. Nor do I forget those personal ways in which Jesus has met with me through the years. It is rather that my focus tends always to wander off into less wholesome, less enriching places. Peter is a battle-hardened old apostle. He understands that “reminding,” “refreshing” and “remembering” (12–15) are key aspects of a Christian life.
As we “touch base” spiritually in this way, it is heartening also to be reminded of the foundations of that base. The first of these is historical reality. Peter was there on the Mount of Transfiguration with Jesus. Many would reduce our testimony to nice but fanciful stories. Let’s hold onto the solid reality that the Son of God walked this earth. Secondly, note how the authority of the prophets is taught here. These people declared the Word of God, inspired by his Spirit. We now have, in the Bible, God’s completed written Word, not a set of human thoughts. This is the unbreakable basis of our faith in Jesus Christ.
Apply
The Greek word for “remember” used in verse 15 implies learning by heart. Why not memorize some key verses from 2 Peter?
Closing prayer
You are my Foundation, Jesus Christ; may I never be shaken by the distractions of this world.
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