Moving closer to God

Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought you to be in leading lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set ablaze and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire? But, in accordance with his promises, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home. Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish. — 2 Peter 3:11–14

All people of faith — be it Christian, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, etc. — offer greetings of peace. Peter suggests that as we live in the violence and destruction of the coming of the day of the Lord that we all live in peace and let God deal with sin. Yet how does one wait in peace? Interestingly, in Islam, the way one deals with Satan is not by any battle or violence. Instead, it is seeking God and not letting struggling with Satan disrupt our seeking God. In the battle for good, the Reformed faith of Presbyterians knows it is about being faithful in moving closer to God. We cannot defeat evil — only God can. We are to seek God and understand the precious struggle of the divine Son on the cross.

Lord God, in this time of Lent, help us to focus on the love you have shown us in the struggle and the victory of your Son on the cross. In Christ’s name, we pray. Amen.