Scripture
II Peter 3:14-18
14 Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. 15 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, 16 as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.
17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
For the Adults:
Growing up, I think most families have a place in the house, probably near the kitchen like I did growing up, where the physical growth of the children is recorded with pencil marks over the years. When we hear “grow,” many images may come to mind of shoe sizes, school subjects, or work skills. For me, it was a good day when I was marked taller than my older sister. We were and still are very competitive with each other since we are close in age (exactly eleven months apart) and being taller than her gave me a slight edge.
Peter concludes his second letter to early Christians with “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” We tend to accept that we can grow in knowledge, but we can easily skip around the idea of growing in grace. The context here is both believers’ hardship and the hope of Christ’s return. In the hardship, we look to the certainty of Jesus and his grace. This confidence in him does not bring us to freeze or pause, but rather it moves us to be active by faith.
Many times trials can distract or discourage our faith. Certainly the challenge we have all faced with the three month quarantine (has it really been that long?!) and social distancing protocols this year can be tiring and wear down our faith. The biblical perspective is that the Living Lord is using the difficulty for our good. Even when we don’t understand everything in Scripture, as Peter comments here about Paul’s writings, we know Jesus and the Scriptures are our stability. The struggle itself is a catalyst for us to cling to Christ, to grow in our dependency upon his grace. Only later will we be able to look back and see the spiritual pencil marks that the Lord is graciously giving to us.
For the Kiddos:
Enter:
What current area is inviting you to cling to Christ, in order to grow in His grace?
In what ways can your family encourage one another to grow in God’s grace?
Hear:
Read the Bible Passages. (II Peter 3:14-18 (ESV)) For younger children, a picture Bible may be used.
Pause
Take a few seconds, or maybe a minute to sit with the scripture in silence. This might be a great time to choose a different place to do your devotional time. Maybe sit outside or in the backyard and be still and let God’s word work in their hearts!
Wonder:
What is your favorite Christian song about grace?
(e.g. Amazing Grace, This Is Amazing Grace, Your Grace Finds Me, Your Grace Is Enough, etc.)
If you keep track of your kiddos’ height as they grow – each time you measure them – ask them how they have grown in their walk with God.
Bless:
Affirm what was discussed about the story.
How to show grace to others:
Through your words: Be kind and gentle in what you say and how you say it.
Look for Needs and Opportunities. simple everyday kindnesses and actions often help in great ways.
Forgive others and ask for forgiveness when you need it.
Extend a little grace to someone this week – because God gives it to us freely, even when we do not deserve it.
Praise God, Give thanks, Pray for others, confess sins, Praise God!
Example:
Father God –you both saved us by grace through faith and sustain us by your grace. Lead us to lean into your rich grace and to grow in it, for the sake of your name and your Kingdom. We pray this in Jesus’ name - Amen