It is most certainly within the realm of reasonable expectation that all Christians, who love the Lord and who desire to serve him, would develop a sincere longing for the day of His return. In fact the mere anticipation of the return of Christ has motivated the Church from the day of its foundation until now. "This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." (Acts 1:10).

When Peter addressed the crowed on the day of Pentecost he quoted King David's prophesy. "The Lord said to my Lord: 'Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.'" (Acts 2) In that context Peter was addressing the great peril that awaits all who stand in opposition to the rule of Christ. But for the saints, the return of Christ is not at all an event to fear. To the absolute contrary, it is the grand moment of triumph for which we eagerly await. It is the culmination of all history when all wrong will be set right, good will prevail over evil and our mighty God will be glorified throughout the Universe. The promised return of Christ sets the agenda for our daily lives. "Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be?" (2Peter 3:11)

To live one's life in anticipation of the day of Christ's return is to live ones life with amazing purpose. According to Peter, the smallest details in life, even to the very formation of our spiritual character, can be weighed in light of that purpose. For Him the return of Christ was an absolute that is as sure as the creation of the world itself. But what is astonishing about Peter's convictions on this matter was his understanding that God has somehow placed the timing of the return of His Son in the hands of the Saints. Peter declared this conviction twice in his second letter to the faithful. The first time this was declared was when he said, "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." (2Peter 3:9)

What did he mean? Did he really mean to say "He is patient with you?" How is it that Peter could possibly expect the faithful to have anything at all to do with the timing of Christ's return? Isn't the timing of His return a matter that has been established and firmly fixed in time by the divine will of God alone?

Listen to Peter's second declaration in the verse soon to follow: "You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming." (2 Peter 3:11-12) We can all agree that "looking forward to the day" is something that is well within our ability to do, but did Peter really mean to say that we can speed or as some English translations put it, "Hasten" its coming? Surely this is a figure of speech or a poor translation from Greek to English. Peter couldn't possibly have meant to say that we, the faithful, have such a level of responsibility that our very behavior and the intentional focus of our lives can play an important enough role in God's plan as to actually effect its timing, could he?

Consider Peter's reminder in 2 Peter 3:9-12:
"The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming."

Compare this with Christ's great commission in Matthew 28:17-20:
"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Now look back to Jesus' declaration regarding when he would return, given in Matthew 24:
"Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."

From Peter's perspective the church has serious work to do. We who love the Lord have the honor and the very real, divinely given, responsibility to carry forth faithfully the message of Christ in both word and deed to all who would hear and respond to the love that God has bestowed upon us. God's intention for us is to succeed in the commission placed upon the church, and until we have completed this calling, our Lord waits.

This then is our highest call, to serve Christ with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our might in carrying out the purpose of the church and hastening the day of His return to the joy of the saved, the peril of the lost and the triumph of the King.