Peter begins his second letter telling us that God has given us “everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” [2 Peter 1:2]
That word for godliness is EUSEBEIA (yoo-seb’-i-ah); which simply means godliness or holiness. God has provided everything we need to live a holy life, a godly life. Everything. It’s all there. Waiting … waiting for us to appropriate it.
I remember a story about John D. Rockefeller. He saw a painting in a catalog that he really liked and wanted. He sent his assistants scouring the world to see who possessed it so that he could acquire it. They found it in his own collection. He possessed it all along and didn’t even know it.
Are we like that with the things of God? Are we scouring around trying to find things we already possess? God has given us everything. That means He has held back nothing. Do we need peace, comfort, strength, joy? It’s already ours. Do we need forgiveness, wisdom, provision, grace? We have it.
Peter ends his letter with one important admonition that we are to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” [2 Peter 3:18]
Why the reminder to GROW in knowledge? Because everything we need for life and godliness is given us THROUGH the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
The more we know of Jesus, the more we realize just what is in our storehouse. We won’t be scurrying around trying to find something we already possess. We’ll know what we have, and we’ll know how to appropriate and appreciate it!
