Not long ago if you wanted to make yourself a reminder you would tie a string around your finger. Now a days you can set yourself reminders on your phone or computer to alert you to do something at the time it’s needed. We can’t think of everything at once, we get distracted with other pressing matters, and we can forget what is important.
The Apostle Peter knew this to be true, and this encouraged him to write down vital truths for Christians in the Bible book of 2 Peter. The people he was writing to already believed in Jesus as their Savior and Lord (1:1-2). They knew of “precious and very great promises” that God had given to them (1:3-4) and how they should live in order to bring Him glory (1:5-8, 12).
But Peter knew how easy it is for us to forget all we have, and how we should honor God with our lives. He says some may not be growing as Christians because they have forgotten they were cleansed of their old sins (1:9). This isn’t losing salvation; it’s forgetting all God has done for us and that we should live in thankful holiness for Him.
It’s almost like a sleepy, laziness sets in, keeping us from living with joy and passion for the Lord. But Peter says he wants to wake us up with the Truth (1:13; 3:1)—the end is drawing near, and we want to be “growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” until the day He returns (3:18).
The reminders we need are written in God’s Word, so that “you may be able at any time to recall these things” (1:15). Rather than a string around our finger, we can hold the Bible in our hands.
