Verse 2...Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.
Verse 5...Keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.
After explaining to Timothy how he had been attacked, Paul wrote these words:
But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom.
As I was reading these verses this morning, I thought about how these words of Paul are great reminders for all believers but especially those in leadership in the church. No matter what one goes through, the Lord is there beside us. He is there to encourage us. Plain and simple...He is with us. The key to knowing He is with us comes in being in relationship with Him. If we do not communicate with Him, we can not expect to hear from Him. If we do not spend time with Him, we can not feel His presence. It does not mean He is not with us because He is always with us. But when we allow circumstances to get in the way of our relationship with Him we miss out on so many blessings.
Paul lived a life sold out to the Lord. He was in jail for his beliefs more than not. What if the Lord called me to such a life? What if He called me to be single so I would not have distractions in life? What if He used me to touch so many people's lives? We just never know what He will call us to do but we do know He will be with us no matter what happens on the path of His will. Woo hoo! That makes me want to say, "Bring it on!" Just knowing He is with us no matter what is pretty comforting.
Recently I was asked, "Why do bad things seem to always happen to good people?" It is a question that I have asked myself many times. Paul was a 'good' person yet he was imprisoned over and over for standing up for the Lord. But if he would not have been imprisoned we may not have so much of his writing in the Bible. He may have been too busy with doing ministry and not had time to write. It isn't that what he was doing was bad but the Lord may have needed to stop his everyday duties for him to do something greater for Him.
Oh my! I need to ponder on this one. Maybe this is the reason for this MS flair-up. The Lord had to stop what I was doing (even though it was good) in order for me to do something greater. I keep saying that no matter what I want Him to be glorified through this and pray He is. I have wondered if the direction He gave me to go deeper had anything to do with this flair-up and have prayed for whatever He desired of me to be revealed. I know He is with me no matter what and for that I am grateful. Just as Chris Tomlin's song Not To Us says, "not to us but to YOUR name be the glory"...woo hoo! Yes!
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for speaking to me this morning! Thank You for this road I am on with You by my side! Thank You for loving me so much! I praise Your Holy Name for all the ways You live in and through me! Lord, fill me to overflowing with more of You and less of me so I will be what You desire of me. Use me today to be a vessel for You. Speak through me in a mighty way. Father, You are the One to be glorified! I pray for more people to come into relationship with You so they will truly experience You. Thank You Jesus for being My Strength! Amen.
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