Eleven Trips to the Hospital

“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. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief.” — 2 Peter 3:9–10
 
Have the false alarms made you stop believing the real thing is coming?
 
When Ginger was pregnant with our third child, our daughter, she had a very difficult pregnancy. For eight months the doctor put her on bed rest because her body kept trying to deliver early. We had to rush to the hospital ten different times to stop the labor. The doctor finally told her, “You’ve broken all of my previous records!”
 
There were a couple of times I was thinking, “Come on, just let that baby come!” But the time wasn’t right. Then on the eleventh trip, the doctor said, “Yes, we can let this happen.” I’ll never forget driving through Houston traffic with great urgency, knowing this one was real.
 
Those of you who’ve had babies know about Braxton Hicks contractions. They’re the practice runs and the warm-ups. They say, “Something’s getting ready to happen.” Paul says Christ’s return will come like labor pains on a pregnant woman. And when it comes, it will catch the world off guard.
 
Some people have heard “Jesus is coming” so many times that they’ve stopped listening. They’ve decided the false alarms mean it’s never going to happen. Peter says otherwise. God isn’t slow. He’s patient, because He’s still giving people time to repent.
 
And notice when Paul says it will happen. It will be while people are saying “peace and safety.” Markets are up, people feel secure, and they get comfortable. That’s exactly when it will come.
 
So don’t let the waiting dull you. Use God’s patience the way He intends it. Who do you know who still needs to repent and trust Christ? Pray for them by name today, and look for a way to talk to them about Jesus this week while there’s still time.