Photo credit: (borrowed from APSU Governors)
by Tammy Phillips
September 25, 2023
“Beloved, looking forward to these things. Be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; 15 and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation… ” (2 Peter 3:14-15 NKJV)
Life is like a football game. When the clock starts, each team is battling for victory. Saturday with 3:04 left in third quarter, Austin Peay football was down 20-7! Almost three quarters of the four-quarter game were in the books. The team and the coaching staff could have given in to defeat. However, Coach Scotty Walden is diligent like Jesus. I know he is powered by God Almighty because nobody has the energy of that man! He has the never-give-up, keep-on-going, give-it-your all attitude. He STANDS on the sidelines, running all around, jumping up and down encouraging each player in the game to victory. If you do not have this picture of Jesus in your life, you need to change your channel. Jesus does the very same for us, his beloved and favorite.
I know! Life is not easy. It can be quite difficult. As Paul says, “We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed–“ (2 Corinthians 4:8-9 NKJV). Life keeps coming. Life keeps punching, but God always gives an encouraging word to help us stay in the game and punch back. Love is His command, but throughout the Bible, laced from beginning to end, is His encouraging word, said a multitude of ways. Believe! Be diligent, be steadfast, be resolute, be firm, be patient, stand, abide, hold on, stay, continue, endure, and don’t give up.
My fellow teammate and sister in Christ, Alli Becker, says it like this:
“Life is unpredictable. Mine still isn’t tied up in a pretty little “this-is-why” bow, but I’m grateful that the One who got me through yesterday is here with me today and knows all of my tomorrows. Celebrate your present today, friends.”
Do you hear the Lord? I hear Coach, “BE DILIGENT!” I went treasure hunting through His Playbook to see what this exactly means. I found…
A new heaven and a new earth ARE coming.
The day of the Lord is coming.
Jesus is coming.
Peter tells us to BE LOOKING FORWARD TO IT! Wait for it. Expect it! Watch for it. This is an active role in the game, not passive, nor a delayed reaction. He encourages us to be diligent in four things:
- To be found by Him in peace.
In peace is a place! When the Lord comes again, we are to have been diligent in staying in the peace place with God, man, and ourselves through Jesus Christ. - To be found by Him without spot.
We do not need to be found in the wrong spot or with spot. We need to be found pressing into Christ in spotless purity and absolute perfection. It is only in Him that we can be found complete. This is not something we do, but whose we are. When our hands get dirty, we immediately wash them before moving on. We should be found doing the same in our spiritual life. We need to be aware of the “dirt” in our lives and get rid of it like a hot potato.
“Keep thy heart with all diligence.” (Proverbs 4:23) - To be found by Him blameless without fault; innocent; guiltless; nomeriting censure. We can only be found blameless in Him by diligently abiding In Him and doing as He asks.
- Consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation.Wait, isn’t it one of our favorite words? I pray every second that the Lord tarries another soul is added to His kingdom. He delayed His return for YOU and ME. I pray He defers His coming until every member of my family, my friends, and everyone in this world come to Jesus by working out their salvation and turning to Him. He waited on us to choose Him; the least we could do is heed His words and watch and wait for Him. His longsuffering with humanity is salvation to us all.
I enCOURAGE you, brothers, and sisters, “give diligence to make your calling and election sure.” (2 Peter 1:5) Diligence keeps you in the game and not sitting on the sidelines. Are you halfway through life? Has victory been waining? Be diligent in all things. My definition of diligence: KEEP ON KEEPING ON. DON’T STOP, DON’T QUIT AND DON’T GIVE UP! Live and play like a “last days” Christian, prepared for the future but living like Jesus is coming tomorrow. Victory is and will be yours!
“Never expect to be found at that day of God in peace, if you are lazy and idle in this your day, in which we must finish the work that is given us to do. It is only the diligent Christian who will be the happy Christian in the day of the Lord. Our Lord will suddenly come to us, or shortly call us to Him; and would you have Him find you idle?” — Matthew Henry
Viva Magenta: Live! Breathe! Be diligent!
Complete in Him 