Skip to main content

Don’t Stop Believing

                When I was a teenager, I had a job that did not have a clear job description.  I did not know what I was supposed to do and neither did my employer.  It was frustrating! 
                After reading the first part of 2 Timothy, I was beginning to get that same feeling again. 
                In this section, Timothy is told to do his work by God’s power (2 Timothy 1:7).  He is reminded to be strong in Jesus’ grace (2:1) and to guard the gift he had been given “…with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in [him]” (1:14). 
                If God’s work is to be accomplished by God’s grace and power, what is Timothy supposed to do?  Is he is supposed to just sit back and watch? 
                Not at all!   Timothy has a role.  One that is illustrated in three ways.
                “No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this” (2 Timothy 2:4-7).
                In each case, the person involved is fully committed.  The soldier is fully committed to obeying his commanding officer and carrying out his orders.  The athlete is not an amateur who plays just for fun.  The Greek word here denotes a professional who is fully dedicated to winning the prize.  The farmer invests time, effort and money long before he ever sees a return.  Farmers must make a commitment in the spring if they are going to receive a harvest in the fall.
                Timothy is to be committed.  He is told to “Endure” (2:3).  He cannot be half in and half out, because “lukewarm” does not work (Revelation 3:16).
                Too often we get the message wrong.  We say, “Do good things and God will be with you” when the truth is, “If you commit to God, he will do good things in and through you!”
                Timothy’s role was to be faithful and trust God.    He was to submit to God and say, “Use me wherever you can”.  
                That is our job description.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Art of Noticing.... Seeing what we need to see and what we miss when we don't

 What we focus on in life matters. Here are some scriptural reminders that will help us see correctly.  https://youtu.be/Rn76tV0ZH8s    
Post a Comment
Read more

New Article: A Path Worth Following

  Jehoram was a terrible king.  He reigned in Judah around the year 850 B.C. and he did not care about God or his people.  His first act as king was to assassinate his six brothers so that no one could challenge his authority.  He was brutal and selfish.   Therefore, when the Bible sums up his life, it says, “Jehoram… passed away, to no one’s regret, and was buried in the City of David” (2 Chronicles 21:20).  Did you catch that?  “To no one’s regret!”  What a terrible phrase for your tombstone. On the other hand, consider a lady named Tabitha.  She lived in the city of Joppa in the first century A.D. and we are told, “… she was always doing good and helping the poor” (Acts 9:36).  She became sick and died.  This caused the community so much grief that they called Peter, who was in the nearby town of Lydda, to come and help them.  When Peter arrived, a crowd gathered, bringing all the robes and other clothing that ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Consider This.... Which Way Are You Leaning?

   When Ben Patterson agreed to join three friends climbing Mount Lyell, the highest point in Yosemite National Park, he did not realize what he was signing up for.  Early in the day, it became clear that he was completely unprepared for the task.  In an effort to keep up with his more experienced friends, Ben took a shortcut.  It did not occur to him that there might be a reason the others had not selected this route, but he soon found out why.  Ben became stuck on the glacier.  He could not move up, down or sideways and one wrong move would send him sliding down a forty-five-degree slope to the valley floor miles below.   That is when one of his friends came to the rescue. His buddy leaned over the edge and carved some footholds in the ice.  He told Ben to step to the first foothold and immediately swing his other foot to the second, then his buddy would pull him to safety.  Lastly, his friend gave him one more piece of advice....
Post a Comment
Read more