His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who has called us by his own glory and goodness.
(verse 3)
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Think of the power of God. Power that, with a word, called light into existence and caused worlds to be. Power that sustains all creation, throughout all universes, in all time. Power whose creativity is repeated endlessly in infinite variations of snowflakes and fingerprints and sunsets and dawn-light. Power that raised Jesus from the dead.
Think of that power. It’s the source of “everything we need for life and godliness.” Let’s pause to unpack that thought. If God’s power is the source, how could there possibly be any lack? Ever. Indeed, Peter tells us that God’s power has given us “everything,” using a little Greek word that comes into English in our prefix “pan,” meaning “all” – as in “pandemic,” a disease that touches “all” people. This little word covers all bases, leaving nothing out. “Everything”means everything, without exception. Get your mind around that for a moment. The endless supply of God’s power has given us “everything.” Wow.
The “everything” we’ve been given is for “life and godliness.” This latter phrase is just a different way of covering all the same bases. Nothing is left out. “Everything we need for life” includes daily bread, relational love and companionship, wisdom for those relationships, strength in crises, comfort in need, avenues for creativity, and on and on. Everything to live the life God has given us – everything. But not just for the generality of life – we are given full resource also for “godliness,” living in rich relationship with our Lord himself, walking in his ways, pleasing his heart, becoming more and more like Jesus. These are huge categories – life and godliness – gathering up every aspect of our experience. What Peter tells us is that our Lord’s divine power has us fully covered for all of it.
This covering comes through “our knowledge of him.” Knowing facts about him, yes, but much more. This phrase is entirely relational, referring to deep intimacy and abiding connection with our Lord. The image of Adam and Eve walking in the Garden, comes to mind – we have been restored, through Christ, to this ongoing familiar bond with God, walking in conversation with him, enjoying his presence, responding to his directives. Indeed, Father and Son and Holy Spirit take up residence with us, abiding in us, ever-present always (John 14:16-18, 23).
All of this is rooted in the fact that the Lord himself has called us. We didn’t choose him, he chose us. We haven’t twisted his arm for this blessing, rather he chose to lavish it upon us. All of it backed by “his own glory and goodness.” I think both of these words conjured up powerful images for Peter. When he speaks the word “glory,” his mind would go back to the scene at the Mount of Transfiguration when Jesus was transformed before him, glory radiating from his pores, his face shining like the sun, his clothing blazing white as light. And the word “goodness,” when used of God, refers to that goodness which is demonstrated by divine miracle-working power. Such was Peter’s experience standing in his own fishing boat when he incredulously surveyed a cascade of unexpected fish. In that moment, the power of miraculous intervention overwhelmed him with realization of Jesus’ holy goodness, such that Peter fell to his knees and acknowledged his own sinfulness. It was then and there that Jesus called him into ongoing mission that forever shaped Peter’s life. “Glory and goodness” yielded ever-deepening knowledge of the Master.
So, too, for us. We haven’t had the opportunity of Peter’s face to face encounters, but his letter starts by affirming that we ourselves “have received a faith as precious” as his own (verse 1).
Embrace it. “Everything” is enough. “His divine power” is fully adequate. “Our knowledge of him” sustains us. Praise his name.
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Thank you, Lord, for giving me everything. Everything I need. Thank you. I receive it gratefully from your hand. I choose, by faith, to lean into it all. In the process, I want to know you better, you who have called me. Praise your name.
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Reflect:
What need are you most aware of at the moment? Give thanks to the Lord, right now, that he has provided you “everything” for that need. By faith, embrace this truth all day long.
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Photo by Viktor Forgacs on Unsplash
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