DAY FIVE |
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GOD IS LONG-SUFFERING
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
2 Peter 3:9
Additional Reading: Exodus 34:5–9; Psalm 86:15; Joel 2:12–13; Romans 5:8
When we think of the term “long-suffering,” we usually simplify it to the word “patient.” We think that God’s patience is much like our own and that He is simply waiting. But long-suffering means so much more than patience—it means that God is slow to anger. On the other side of His patience is wrath. Throughout the Old Testament, the people of Israel recount time and time again that the Lord is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. They recognized just how deep sin is buried in the human heart yet how God perseveres in His goodness and love. The Israelites bounced back and forth between worshiping God and falling away from Him. They saw firsthand just how slow He was to anger. His long-suffering nature does not last forever, but He endures longer than we can imagine. We learn in 2 Peter 3 that God’s promise of judgment and redemption will certainly come to pass. Even within that promise, He does not wish that anyone would suffer the fullness of His anger. God is just and merciful at the same time. As believers, we have benefited from God’s undeserved goodness that leads us to salvation and through life transformation. He gives us the promise of the new heavens and new earth. We believers should not forget that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). He has been long-suffering for our sake and continues to endure for nonbelievers. While others who don’t know Christ are still in their sin, we are called to bring the gospel hope to them. Repentance and forgiveness are gifts for everyone all over the world, no matter their past or current situations. It’s not our job to save others, but it is a privilege to share the truth of God’s hope with them. When we grasp what it means for God to be long-suffering, it changes how we approach non-Christians. We learn to persevere in those relationships as we generously share our faith and love. Write down your thoughts on today’s devotional. Pray that God will continue to speak as you reflect. What specific things in your life has God been long-suffering toward? How have you responded? What would it look like for you to be long-suffering? How would that impact your relationships?
BECAUSE GOD IS LONG-SUFFERING, WE CAN PERSEVERE
IN SHARING THE GOSPEL OF GOD’S MERCY AND GRACE.
NOTES
REFLECT
PRAY
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
2 Peter 3:9
Father, You’ve displayed Your patience in Your word and in my life. No one can show mercy and steadfast love like You do. Your example of patience is demonstrated on the cross where Your Son died for the sins of everyone, even those who would not accept Him. Even when I sin, You give me grace to repent because You are a good Father. I ask that Your Holy Spirit would fill me with the gift of long-suffering to show patience to others in the same way You have been patient with me. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
DOWNLOAD AS EDITABLE PDFANG DIYOS AY MATIYAGA
Hindi nagpapabaya ang Panginoon sa pagtupad sa pangako niya, gaya ng inaakala ng ilan. Ang totoo, binibigyan lang niya ng pagkakataong magsisi ang lahat sa mga kasalanan nila, dahil ayaw niyang mapahamak ang sinuman.
2 Pedro 3:9 ASND
Basahin Din: Exodus 34:5–9; Salmo 86:15; Joel 2:12–13; Mga Taga-Roma 5:8
Kapag naiisip natin ang salitang “pagtitiyaga,” kadalasan ay naiisip natin na ang kahulugan nito ay “pasensya.” Naiisip natin na ang pagtitiyaga ng Diyos ay katulad ng ating pasensya at na Siya ay naghihintay lamang sa atin. Subalit ang pagiging matiyaga ay higit pa sa pagpapakita ng pasensya. Ito ay nangangahulugan na ang Diyos ay hindi madaling magalit. Ang nasa kabilang dulo ng Kanyang pasensya ay poot.
Sa kabuuan ng Lumang Tipan, paulit-ulit na inalala ng mga mamamayan ng Israel ang katotohanan na ang Diyos ay hindi madaling magalit at nag-uumapaw sa hindi nagbabagong pagmamahal. Kinilala nila kung gaano kalalim ang pagkakabaon ng kasalanan sa puso ng mga tao subalit patuloy na nagtitiis ang Diyos sa Kanyang kabutihan at pagmamahal. Ang mga Israelita ay nagpapabalik-balik sa pagsamba sa Kanya at pagkahulog sa kasalanan. Nakita nila kung gaano katagal bago magalit ang Diyos. Ang pagiging matiyaga Niya ay may hangganan, subalit nagtitiis Siya nang mas matagal pa sa kaya nating maisip o maunawaan.
Natutunan natin sa 2 Pedro 3 na ang pangakong paghuhukom at pagtubos ng Diyos ay tiyak na darating. Kahit sa katuparan ng pangakong ito, hindi Niya ninanais na magdusa ang sinuman sa ilalim ng kabuuan ng Kanyang poot. Ang Diyos ay makatarungan at mahabagin. Bilang mga mananampalataya, natatanggap natin ang kabutihan ng Diyos na hindi natin karapat-dapat na matanggap. Ito ang siyang umakay sa atin patungo sa kaligtasan at upang maranasan natin ang pagbabagong buhay. Ibinigay Niya sa atin ang pangako na magkakaroon ng bagong langit at bagong lupa.
Tayo na mga mananampalataya ay hindi dapat makalimot na noong tayo ay mga makasalanan pa, namatay si Cristo para sa atin (Mga Taga-Roma 5:8). Ipinakita Niya ang Kanyang pagiging matiyaga para sa ating kapakanan at patuloy Siyang nagtitiyaga para sa mga hindi pa nananampalataya. Samantalang ang iba na hindi pa nakakikilala kay Cristo ay patuloy sa pagkakasala, tayo ay tinawag upang ipalaganap ang ebanghelyo na magdadala ng pag-asa sa kanila. Ang pagsisisi at pagpapatawad ay mga kaloob para sa lahat, subalit isang pribilehiyo ang makapagbahagi ng katotohanan ng pag-asang ibinibigay ng Diyos sa kanila.
Kapag naunawaan na natin ang kahulugan ng pagiging matiyaga ng Diyos, nagbabago ang paraan natin ng pakikipag-ugnayan sa mga hindi Kristiyano. Natututunan natin kung paano magtiyaga sa mga relasyong ito habang patuloy nating ibinabahagi ang ating pananampalataya at pagmamahal.
DAHIL ANG DIYOS AY MATIYAGA, MAGAGAWA NATING MAGTIYAGA SA PAGBABAHAGI NG EBANGHELYO NG HABAG AT BIYAYA NG DIYOS.
MGA NATUTUNAN
Isulat ang mga naisip mo tungkol sa debosyonal ngayong araw. Ipanalangin na patuloy na mangusap sa iyo ang Diyos habang lalo mong pinag-iisipan ang mga ito.
PAG-ISIPAN
Anu-ano ang mga bagay sa iyong buhay kung saan ipinakikita ng Diyos ang Kanyang pagiging matiyaga? Paano ka tumugon dito?
Paano mo maipapakita ang pagiging matiyaga? Paano nito maaapektuhan ang iyong mga relasyon?
MANALANGIN
Hindi nagpapabaya ang Panginoon sa pagtupad sa pangako niya, gaya ng inaakala ng ilan. Ang totoo, binibigyan lang niya ng pagkakataong magsisi ang lahat sa mga kasalanan nila, dahil ayaw niyang mapahamak ang sinuman.
2 Pedro 3:9 ASND
Ama, ipinapakita Mo ang Iyong pagiging matiyaga sa Iyong salita at sa aking buhay. Walang sinumang maaaring magpakita ng habag at hindi nagbabagong pagmamahal na katulad ng ipinapakita Mo. Ang Iyong pasensya ay ipinakita Mo sa krus kung saan namatay ang Iyong Anak para sa kasalanan ng lahat, maging sa mga hindi tumanggap sa Kanya. Kahit na ako ay nagkakasala, binibigyan Mo ako ng kakayahan upang magsisi dahil Ikaw ay mabuting Ama. Hinihiling ko na ang Iyong Banal na Espiritu ay pagkalooban ako ng katiyagaan upang magawa kong magpasensya sa iba tulad ng pagpapasensya Mo sa akin. Ito ang dalangin ko sa Iyong pangalan, amen.
GOD IS PATIENT
The Lord is not slow to keep his promise. He is not slow in the way some people understand it. Instead, he is patient with you. He doesn’t want anyone to be destroyed. Instead, he wants all people to turn away from their sins.
2 Peter 3:9 NIRV
One minute seems like a short time, until you try holding your breath for that long. Have you ever tried doing that? Most of us who try it won’t be able to do it! Suddenly, one minute seems like a really long time.
God’s anger is like that—He takes far longer to get angry than we expect or imagine. He is very patient. Yesterday, we learned that God is just. He punishes wrongdoing and injustice. So does that mean if you do something wrong, He is waiting in heaven, ready to strike you? That’s not how it is with God. He is so patient that He can wait for a very, very long time for us to come to Him and allow Him to change the way we live.
This isn’t an excuse for us to keep doing wrong. “Oh, God takes so long to get angry; He’s waiting for me. I’ll take my time before I ask Him to save me from sin and change the way I live.” God can see our hearts. The Bible says it’s actually His patience that is meant to lead us to Him (Romans 2:4).
As followers of Jesus, we should remember what Romans 5:8 says: “But here is how God has shown his love for us. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” In God’s great love, He was patient even if we don’t deserve it. He paved the way for us to return to Him.
This isn’t just for us. This also means He died even for people who haven’t received Jesus as their Lord and Savior yet, and He is patiently waiting for them to come to Him. Our job is to be patient with them the same way God is patient with us. It’s not our job to save other people, but God gives us the opportunity to share the truth of His hope with them.
By being patient with others, we express to God how grateful we are to Him for His patience; at the same time, we are showing others how patient our God is.
I CAN BE PATIENT BECAUSE GOD IS PATIENT WITH ME.
REFLECT
Think of the last time you were impatient with someone. What did you do? The next time it happens, how can you show patience instead?
PRAY
Dear God, Your patience amazes me and I’m grateful that You have been patient with me no matter what. Lord Jesus, thank You that You showed Your love for me by dying on the cross, even before I had even decided to follow You. Holy Spirit, fill me with patience the way You are patient. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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