12.10 2 Timothy

Josh and Jennie Baumann 

12.10.2020

2 Timothy 1-4 

2 Timothy is written by Paul to his partner-in-gospel, Timothy. From the knowledge we have, this is the last letter Paul would write. It focuses on getting Timothy ready for the spiritual warfare ahead. Timothy’s job as one of God’s workers was to guard and fight for the gospel, pursue godliness, continue in the teachings he knew to be true, and preach with confidence. 

The verse we chose to focus on was 2 Timothy 2:11-13. It really struck us this week because of God’s enduring faithfulness and power. God is the ultimate–He rewards those who really invest in him, and even when we fall, He is still faithful. 

This reinforces how we see God because even though things are hard right now–life, COVID, travel restrictions, political issues, holiday hustle and bustle–God is a safe place to land. How fortunate we are that we have God when everything else around us isn’t going the way we planned. We have His work to do, and when we focus on that, everything gets a little clearer. 

This teaching helps us see others in a new way by reminding us that we aren’t alone. Isolation can make us feel alone and purposeless, but God gives us a purpose. We need to be ready in season and out of season. We need to work together to lift each other up and speak the truth. 

Timothy received direct instructions from Paul to continue in what he knew was true and to pursue godliness. We do that best when we work with others and hold each other accountable. 

Because of this, we will continue to work on our relationships with others. Relationships with God and with our brothers and sisters are the only way we will make it to the end. They can help us keep our focus on what is true and what the best things are to think about instead of the chaos that swirls around us. Our brothers and sisters can provide that reality check or that loving socially-distanced hug to help keep us grounded in Christ. 

We see Jesus sprinkled throughout this, too! Jesus instructed Paul in what to do, and Jesus is the one we should model ourselves after. When we follow Jesus, we can do all the things Paul asks us to do for Christ. We can’t do it alone–we need His help to do it.