Waiting for Jesus' return

“The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9
In the verses leading up to this, Peter has told us how scoffers will ask, “Where is this ‘coming’ He promised?” (2 Pet. 3:3-4). Indeed, people today are saying the same thing, calling Christians crazy for believing that Jesus will actually come back to this planet and change everything. They shake their fist in the face of the God who holds their very lives in His hand – and who made that same fist. Yes, Jesus will come to earth a second time. But the delay that we are presently experiencing is only due to God’s patience with those people He knows will become believers, but have not yet surrendered their lives to Him.
God doesn’t want to be a God of judgement and wrath. He would rather show love and mercy to all. He would rather that people repent than they perish. “‘Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked?’ declares the Sovereign LORD. ‘Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?’” (Ezek. 18:23). “This is good, and pleases God our Saviour, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:3-4). God has not predestined some to be saved and others to be lost. If God had His way, everyone would believe in Him. But He respects man’s free will to choose Him or to reject Him. We can be sure that when Jesus does finally return, everyone will have made up their minds, one way or the other.