I remember a long time ago seeing Jeff Allen, a Christian comedian, give his testimony just after a comedy act. An interesting, yet terrifying thought occurred to me. Allen's conversion didn't happen in one go. It took him a year after he was given a Bible and some tapes to actually read and listen, and once he finally got thinking about how he needed to change, and how these things might help him, he still didn't get saved at the drop of a hat. It took time. Time during which he could have died, or even the return of the Lord may have happened.
In the third chapter of his second epistle, Peter talks about people who mock the idea of the second coming. They deliberately forget that creation and the flood happened, claiming everything's been going on in the same, undisturbed manner since creation began. "Where is this coming he promised?" Like a college student leaving his assignment until the day of the deadline, these people are taking God's "slowness" as a sign that He isn't coming at all. In reality, however, it is God giving us time to repent.
In 1997, Jeff Allen became a Christian. But where would Jeff be if God had returned in 1996? Had God returned in 2009, where would I be? Every single day God holds off judging the world is one more day he holds off judging at least one person. Every person that comes to faith is one more person He doesn't have to condemn to Hell, but can bring into His Kingdom and into His loving arms. "Just one more..." God says. "I want that one to repent too." That one repents, but God knows of another. "I don't want that one to perish either!" So He calls that person and they come. And maybe the angels look at the Earth and think "seriously, the Earth's getting ridiculous now. When's He going to judge it?" And God turns to them and says "I'm God! I'm sovereign! And you see that person right there? If I judge the world today, he won't be here, but if I hold off, he will."
Those particular scenes are just imaginary stories pulled straight from my head, but I feel like they accurately reflect the thought process of God. We know that He doesn't want anyone to perish (2 Peter 3:9). Not a single person who will ever go to Hell will do so to God's pleasure. By holding off the final judgement, He is giving so many people, currently 8 billion the chance to repent and turn to Him. But the tragic thing is, no matter how patient He is, He's not going to hold off forever. The Earth's time, whether in a day, a week, a month, a year, a decade, a millennium, even another 6,000 years, is limited and soon to end.
But none of us will even last that long. If you live a normal human lifespan, you might last 80 years. If you're extremely fortunate, you might make 120. But unless God literally promises you tomorrow, you are not promised tomorrow. We live in a world where children are murdered in the womb, yet here you are, having seen many sunrises, and having sinned under every single one of them. Praise God for His mercies, and if you have yet to accept them, run to them. Today is the day of salvation. Tomorrow, death may call your name.