If George Lucas Only Knew...

2 Peter 3:8b With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.

I had only left Clara (then 2) and Carynne (then 1) unattended for a maximum of fifteen minutes. During the time it took me to trade out the laundry, the two of them had somehow discovered the long-missing ingredient to bending the space time continuum. How else could they have wreaked such havoc in such a short period of time?

When I emerged from the laundry room, I found the two of them "finger painting" our carpet, the stone surround of our fireplace and particularly each other with bottles of blue and green food dye. This was no marginal job either. Their tiny fingers must have worked at lightning speed to cover so much ground so quickly.

Today I completed the book of 2 Peter by reading the third and final chapter. Peter is encouraging his readers to be patient as they wait for Jesus to return once again to earth. It has been nearly two thousand years since Peter penned those words. Jesus has not yet returned. Truly a thousand years is like a day to God (Verse 8). Do you ever wonder what it is that God is waiting for? Do you ever question why His time passes so slowly when you yearn for Him to act now?

I have observed that the longer I wait on hold to speak to a customer service representative, the less likely I am to actually distinguish their voice from the "elevator music" and advertising. I have actually waited on the phone as long as forty-five minutes and had the representative hang up before I could "come to" and acknowledge their greeting. My relationship with God is like that. When I get tired of waiting on Him, I begin to tune out His voice and when He finally does speak or act, I tend to miss it.

Peter gives me two insights of what I can do when God places me on "hold" to ensure that I hear His voice when He finally speaks.

1. Grow in Grace (Verse 18) - I don't exactly have to look for opportunities to grow in grace. There has either been an overpopulation of bone heads in every city in which I've resided or we're all boneheads. Since I am a certified bonehead, I'm fairly certain it's the latter. Occasions to grow in grace, present themselves in my life every day. The question is am I growing in these moments or tuning them out as if they are little more than elevator music?
2. Grow in Knowledge (Verse 18) - The more I learn about God, the more readily I hear His voice when He speaks. Today there is more ways to learn about and connect with God's Word than ever before. Am I passionately pursuing God or simply muddling through life and treating God's Word as if it is wait time advertising?

Eventually, the physical evidence of Clara and Carynne's handiwork dwindled. A combination of soap and time erased their imprint on our home and each other. God, however, doesn't tarry so that His imprint will fade. Instead, as He lingers, it is His heart that His impression on my life would enlarge rather than abate.

Jesus, I may never fully understand why You wait but now I know what I can do while I wait. When I find myself on hold today, may I bend Your space-time continuum and multiply the time and opportunities You give me to grow in grace and knowledge.