THE Day

Series: New New

2 Peter 3:10 ESV

2 Peter 3:10 MSG

When I was a Freshman in College just out of high school the movie “A Thief in the Night” came out.

At that point in my life I had not studied 2 Peter and when I watched the movie I was terrified.

2 Peter 3:10 tells us, “the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.”

Because I was so terrified I only watched the movie one time. You need to understand I’ve never been the kind of person who can’t watch horror or even suspense movies. Jane Austen is my hero so that pretty much tells you the type of movies I like.

I don’t know why I can’t watch horror or movies filled with suspense.

I have entertained the thought that part of the reason was the creepy music in suspenseful movies. The movie “A Thief in the Night” sealed the deal on scary or suspenseful movies.

In my case theology is a factor. Theology and God/Jesus have always been a huge part of my life. I grew up reading Bible Stories. Moses parting the Red Sea was filled with more than enough suspense.   

Still, the Red Sea was given as a part of history.

The Thief in the Night was yet to come. From the Message 2 Peter 3:10 says, “when the Day of God’s Judgment does come, it will be unannounced, like a thief. The sky will collapse with a thunderous bang, everything disintegrating in a raging inferno, earth and all its works exposed to the scrutiny of Judgment.”

Thinking that the sky will collapse and everything will disintegrate and unravel all we’ve known was unknown. How will it ready happen?

Over time…and it did take time and maturity another place emerged. That place was in me and it was real. It was beautiful.

In that place we do not stand alone. The place of God emerged as a hiding place when uncertainty surrounds us.

In that place there is no fear.

There is light.

There is no darkness.

There is the most incredible peace we could ever imagine.

There are other people in that place…people we’ve known and people we’ve not known. We will not see people who were mean to us. They may be there, but if they are they are transformed. By their choice at some point in their life they turned to Jesus and they changed.

There is no fear in that place.

There is only peace…incredible peace.

When Jesus walked the earth he brought the truth of that place to us. When he left, he gave us a gift.

When Jesus was about to depart earth he told his disciples, “You cannot know times and dates which have been fixed by the Father’s sole authority. But you are to be given power when the Holy Spirit has come to you. You will be witnesses to me, not only in Jerusalem, not only throughout Judea, not only in Samaria, but to the very ends of the earth!” When he had said these words he was lifted up before their eyes till a cloud hid him from their sight. While they were still gazing up into the sky as he went, suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them and said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing here looking up into the sky? This very Jesus who has been taken up from you into Heaven will come back in just the same way as you have seen him go.” (Acts 1:7-11)

The key here is that Jesus promised when he left he will come back in the same way he left.

So, while the thought of the thief in the night and the sky collapsing, and earth burning was frightening, we have the promise that we will not be alone.

Jesus will be here.

When we choose to turn to God/Jesus we are never alone.

Never not ever.

And so years ago when “The Thief in the Night” emerged, even then I was not alone.

Jesus was with me. God was in me. I did not need to be afraid.

Spiritual Practice: God in You

When you turn (or turned) to God/Jesus God is in you. You do not need to be afraid of anything.

In God, Deborah

acrazyjourney.com