I love how relevant the Bible is to my life. Listen to these words written by St. Peter:

“Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort…”

When I read that, first of all, I am encouraged by the phrase, “our Lord’s patience means salvation.” I love it that God is patient. He wants us to believe in his son Jesus. His patience with us results in many more people receiving salvation. Next, I notice that the Bible is consistent. Peter points out that all of Paul’s writings in the Bible are consistent with each other and with Peter’s own teachings. “He writes the same way in all his letters.” Then, and this is the part I really like, Peter says that Paul’s letters contain some things that are hard to understand. It gives me great comfort to know that even the Apostle Peter had trouble understanding some of the stuff in the Bible. If Peter couldn’t figure it all out, what are the chances I’ll figure it all out? The point is not that most of the Bible is difficult, but that some of it is not easy to understand.

But the good news is that God is patient with us, the Bible is consistent and trustworthy, and God will help us understand what we need to know to gain salvation.