Leawood, Kansas, United States - The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection Daily Guide grow. pray. study. for Saturday, 1 November 2014 "I have fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith"

Leawood, Kansas, United States - The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection Daily Guide grow. pray. study. for Saturday, 1 November 2014 "I have fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith"
Daily Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:6-8 You take over. I’m about to die, my life an offering on God’s altar. This is the only race worth running. I’ve run hard right to the finish, believed all the way. All that’s left now is the shouting—God’s applause! Depend on it, he’s an honest judge. He’ll do right not only by me, but by everyone eager for his coming.
9-13 Get here as fast as you can. Demas, chasing fads, went off to Thessalonica and left me here. Crescens is in Galatia province, Titus in Dalmatia. Luke is the only one here with me. Bring Mark with you; he’ll be my right-hand man since I’m sending Tychicus to Ephesus. Bring the winter coat I left in Troas with Carpus; also the books and parchment notebooks.
16-18 At my preliminary hearing no one stood by me. They all ran like scared rabbits. But it doesn’t matter—the Master stood by me and helped me spread the Message loud and clear to those who had never heard it. I was snatched from the jaws of the lion! God’s looking after me, keeping me safe in the kingdom of heaven. All praise to him, praise forever! Oh, yes!
Reflection Question:
In a moving letter, Paul asked Timothy to come to him before the Romans executed him. The requests for the cloak and the scrolls, "especially the parchments," show Paul's human frailty and his resolve to keep learning and growing right to the end. We don't know if Timothy made it—but we know Paul's unsinkable faith still inspires Christians around the world. As scholar N. T. Wright said, "The picture we get, as we take leave of this intimate and personal letter, is of a man facing serious trouble and likely death, beset with problems and anxieties, but who nevertheless remains determined to bring every single aspect of his life into the orbit of the gospel itself, the royal proclamation of Jesus as Lord. He lives in the present world, Caesar's world, as already a cheerful citizen of the world to come, Jesus' world."
You may feel as though you have only a few years left to serve God in this life, or you may have reason to look forward to many decades of faithful service. Is the present course of your life such that you are confident that, when it ends, you will be able to say, "I have fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith"? If not, what "mid-course corrections" do you want to make so that Paul's words can also become your personal testimony?
Family Activity:
Even in Paul's darkest times, he believed deeply in the hope of Christ's resurrection. With the long, dark nights of winter approaching, consider how you will keep Christ's hope and light alive in your homes and hearts. Maybe you can light candles and remember Christ is the Light of the World. Share the light of Christ by serving a neighbor or a person in need. Let God's Word light your path by reading Scripture each day—choose to memorize a verse each week as a family! Light up your home with the hope of Christ by sharing joy, laughter and encouragement with one another. Pray for God to fill you with His hope and light even in the darkest of times, and then share His light with the world!
Today's Prayer:
King Jesus, whether you use me to reach thousands of lives, as Paul did, or just to be a faithful friend who keeps a cloak and some scrolls safe, as Carpus did, work in my life to make this world a better place. Keep me on course to finish this race in triumph. Amen.
Insight from Nicole Conard
Due to scheduling issues, Rev. Doyle Blanton was unable to write for today’s Insights blog. Instead, we bring you a reflection that Rev. Nicole Conard wrote about today’s passage. It was first posted on October 22, 2011, when she was a member of the Congregational Care staff leading the Pathways to Ministry program.
Today we conclude our reading on Letters to a Young Man: Timothy. In the last verses of 2 Timothy, we hear Paul’s reflection on his life as he prepares for death. In our culture, we have heard stories of prepared last words. In 2008, many read the book The Last Lecture by computer science professor Randy Pausch. Society reflected on the wisdom and genius of Steve Jobs, founder and CEO of Apple—not by his last words but his legacy as he passed on leadership. We recognize there is something profound and real in someone’s last words and preparations.
I have had the awesome privilege to be beside people who were close to death. In the preparation and anticipation of dying, there is a reflection on one’s life that is often utterly profound. Strategically gathering family together and sharing last thoughts and words is important in this time. There are last words, memories, and a Spirit that make a profound impact on the person who is dying and the people gathered.
In today’s Scripture, Paul was preparing for his death. It is likely that Paul had already been tortured or beaten during his imprisonment. Now, he anticipates his death. Death is not viewed as an end but simply a departure from the flesh to dwelling with God. In this Scripture passage, we hear the heart of Paul. We find the entire intention of his letter (2 Timothy) was to pass on his legacy to Timothy and instruct Timothy to come soon to Rome, so that Paul could see him before he died.
Paul is known as a larger-than-life hero, chief apostle, church planter and evangelist to the Gentiles (anyone non-Jewish) in several countries. As he comes upon the end of his life, Paul is very human, real and honest. He reflects on his life, writing that the Lord was with him in the good and the bad times. He shares his legacy with Timothy by encouraging Timothy to fulfill his ministry. He reconciles relationships with Mark. He organizes the next stages of the movement he’s been working on by gathering Luke and Mark (the gospel writers before they were gospel writers). We can only imagine what parchments he was referring to when he wanted those with him. He sees himself as having lived a purposeful life. Paul’s needs friendship, warmth (from his cloak), and spiritual discernment from those around him. Paul wanted Timothy with him in the last days, because now was the time of a major transition in leadership. Key figures were being shifted by Paul’s intention and design. Through it all, Paul attributes his life and preparation in death to the faithfulness of the Lord.
As we conclude this reading, may we be people who can reflect on our lives and see God at work, even when life is hard. May we invest in relationships in such a way that we can call upon friends, companions, and family to gather around us in life and pass on our cherished wisdom in the most intimate of moments. May we lead our lives in such a way to have a purposeful life filled with faith to pass onto the next generation.
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