By Karla Moreno Camacho

2 Peter 3:14-15
Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish; and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation. So also our beloved brother Paul wrote to you according to the wisdom given him.

The Advent season can be full of preoccupations and worries. We are reminded daily that we live in a dysfunctional, broken, and selfish world that’s full of evil. As we long for things to be set right, we may get discouraged and continue to feel anxious about the state of the world and of our lives.

But today’s passage of Scripture encourages us to live a life of peace. Instead of wrapping ourselves with worry, we should stay committed to Christ during difficult times. Even when we try to live in the peace of Christ, we might find ourselves stressed rather than calm. So we should listen to the words of Peter and be encouraged that that the glorious day, when we will be glorified together with Christ our Savior, is drawing near.

Peter also tells us to be without spot or blemish. Being spotless doesn’t mean that we are perfect but that we are being transformed into the image of Christ each day, as long as we remain in relationship with him. It fills me with hope to know that I am not perfect and can give all the credit to Christ as I walk this path of transformation.

Someday, when Christ returns and the transformation of our world and of ourselves takes place in its fullness, we will no longer live with anxiety. What is broken will be restored. Come soon, Lord Jesus!

Prayer: Jesus, as I wait for your coming, give me your peace. Purify my heart and make me spotless. Amen.

Karla Camacho is an elder at Iglesia Nueva Esperanza, an RCA church plant in Mesa, Arizona. She is also a member of the Commission on Race and Ethnicity, a facilitator for a women’s leadership collaborative, and a seminarian at Western Theological Seminary.