2 Peter 1:13-15 13I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly habitation, to stir you up by a reminder, 14since I know that the getting rid of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me, 15and I will also make every effort so that anytime after my after my departure to make memory of these things.
It is possible that Peter was in a Roman prison waiting for execution when he wrote this letter. The early Christian tradition was that he was crucified upside down by the Emperor Nero. He followed the philosophy of serving God “until the last breath.” He knew through some form of revelation that his life would end soon, but he was not worried about that because he had confidence in eternal life. As long as he was still in his physical body, he would do his best to remind those around him and through letters like this, of the central call to be re-created into the image of God through Christ. The opening of this letter gives Peter’s key outlook on spiritual growth and the human need for transformation.
The opening section of the letter gives the wisdom of one of the key apostles of the early church. Peter had experienced many challenges and seen many victories over his 30 plus years of walking with Christ, empowered and guided by the Holy Spirit. He knew human weakness of forgetfulness and compromise. Life can wear out a person’s resolve and confidence unless that person stays close to God. Our older years can still be fruitful for God’s kingdom although what we do may be different than our younger days. Until our last breath, we must serve the Lord.