2 Timothy is a letter that conveys a sense of being last words. Paul is writing to Timothy from a Roman prison. This imprisonment does not sound like the house arrest he was under at the end of Acts, and may be at the very end of his life. Faced with martyrdom, Paul wants to build up his “beloved child.” He wants to give him some parting thoughts and put his focus on what matters most.
What does one say at a time like this? What would you want to convey to your children?
Paul begins with love and gratitude. He calls Timothy, “beloved.” This is more than just a traveling companion or a fellow worker. Paul loved Timothy like a son. Oh that more of us Christians would love our brothers and sisters in Christ like . . . well . . . brothers and sisters! We would look into one another’s well being, care for one another’s needs, defend one another, and encourage one another to grow in faith as we live as a family with God as our Father! Then we couldn give thanks for one another as well, seeing ourselves as God’s gifts to bless each other.
When I was ordained C. William Hoesman was the president of the district where I serve. One of the phrases that he often spoke (and which I have occasionally stolen) is, “God be praised for . . . ,” and he would go on to talk about people. Imagine hearing your brothers and sisters saying, “God be praised for you! For the gifts He has given you, the blessing you are, the love that we have, God be praised!” What if we said those words, “God be praised . . .” for someone else?
What kinds of things would we thank and praise God for in our brothers and sisters? How about faith?
Too often we take the faith of our brother and sister for granted. For many of us, it happened so long ago that we don’t remember life apart from Christ. However, the fact that the guy in front of you at church has faith is a miracle. The lady in the back with her eyes closed in weariness and prayer; her faith is a miracle too. And to get right down to it, the fact that you believe in Jesus as your savior is a miracle, too. Faith means that God has intervened in your life. It means that the sinful and the sacred have been brought together. Think on that the next time you are sitting in church, or the next time Old Man Schmidt is about four words behind when you’re speaking one of the Creeds. God be praised! Look at what He is doing in your life and the lives of all those people around you!
What you have received is a gift. Faith in Jesus, forgiveness, and salvation through His blood are gifts, along with many other gifts that God gives each of us to use in His mission of salvation.
What do you do with those gifts? Paul says to fan them into flame. In other words, use them, feed them, hone them and rejoice in them. Gifts that are left unused are like a fire that is deprived of fuel; they get weaker and eventually die. But as we feed our faith with the “sound words” of God’s Truth, and put our faith into action, the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, protects that fire, and indeed makes it grow.
Father in Heaven, thank you for the faith you have given me, and I praise you for my brothers and sisters in Christ. Help us to live in love sharing the hope we have in Jesus. Amen.
What does one say at a time like this? What would you want to convey to your children?
Paul begins with love and gratitude. He calls Timothy, “beloved.” This is more than just a traveling companion or a fellow worker. Paul loved Timothy like a son. Oh that more of us Christians would love our brothers and sisters in Christ like . . . well . . . brothers and sisters! We would look into one another’s well being, care for one another’s needs, defend one another, and encourage one another to grow in faith as we live as a family with God as our Father! Then we couldn give thanks for one another as well, seeing ourselves as God’s gifts to bless each other.
When I was ordained C. William Hoesman was the president of the district where I serve. One of the phrases that he often spoke (and which I have occasionally stolen) is, “God be praised for . . . ,” and he would go on to talk about people. Imagine hearing your brothers and sisters saying, “God be praised for you! For the gifts He has given you, the blessing you are, the love that we have, God be praised!” What if we said those words, “God be praised . . .” for someone else?
What kinds of things would we thank and praise God for in our brothers and sisters? How about faith?
Too often we take the faith of our brother and sister for granted. For many of us, it happened so long ago that we don’t remember life apart from Christ. However, the fact that the guy in front of you at church has faith is a miracle. The lady in the back with her eyes closed in weariness and prayer; her faith is a miracle too. And to get right down to it, the fact that you believe in Jesus as your savior is a miracle, too. Faith means that God has intervened in your life. It means that the sinful and the sacred have been brought together. Think on that the next time you are sitting in church, or the next time Old Man Schmidt is about four words behind when you’re speaking one of the Creeds. God be praised! Look at what He is doing in your life and the lives of all those people around you!
What you have received is a gift. Faith in Jesus, forgiveness, and salvation through His blood are gifts, along with many other gifts that God gives each of us to use in His mission of salvation.
What do you do with those gifts? Paul says to fan them into flame. In other words, use them, feed them, hone them and rejoice in them. Gifts that are left unused are like a fire that is deprived of fuel; they get weaker and eventually die. But as we feed our faith with the “sound words” of God’s Truth, and put our faith into action, the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, protects that fire, and indeed makes it grow.
Father in Heaven, thank you for the faith you have given me, and I praise you for my brothers and sisters in Christ. Help us to live in love sharing the hope we have in Jesus. Amen.
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