GOSPEL NUGGETS
2Pe 3:9 (God) "is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance."
True Story
An infidel stood in a park and announced to everybody that he would prove that God does not exists. He told everybody surrounding him that he would curse and blaspheme God for five straight minutes and if nothing happens to him after that, this would prove to everyone that God does not exists.
And so standing over a stool so that he would tower over everybody so that everyone can hear, he began his five minutes of tirade against God.
He hurled against God the foulest expletives that ever came out of man's mouth. One profanity after another was thrown against heaven. They were blasphemies so evil and insulting enough to make Satan and his demons look like choir boys in church.
Personally, I think, at that time, all the angels in heaven stood with righteous indignation and anger, gasping, holding their swords, ready to strike him dead waiting for their insulted Master to give the command.
But the last second came, the five minutes was over and nothing happened to him. He still breathed God's fresh air, life was still in him, God's birds perched on the trees were still singing and chirping to him. So he announced: "See, nothing bad has happened to me. I have proven to you that there is no God!"
Everyone was silent. They did not know what to say. Moments later, an elderly Christian stepped forward and said: "Sir, you have not proven to us that God does not exists. YOU ONLY PROVED TO US THAT GOD'S PATIENCE AND LONGSUFFERING IS NOT EXHAUSTED IN FIVE MINUTES."
My friend, "consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation" (2Pe 3:15). That is, He is patient with us so that we might be given time to repent and be saved.
Repent and turn to Christ in faith.
Yes, five minutes is too short for God's patience to be exhausted. But remember too, that we will all (even repentant sinners) have to face eternity and your life is too fleeting that it could be over any moment. We will all have our last five minutes. Who knows eternity for you might be just five minutes away after reading this.
