READING: 2 Timothy 1-4
“Finish well.”
I use those words a lot when I train students and missionaries. I’ve seen the enemy mow down so many leaders in the battle that I’ve realized that nobody ends well apart from the grace and power of God. Satan looks for our vulnerabilities, and he aims his arrows at them. Timothy apparently had several of those issues. He faced the reality of his relative youthfulness (1 Tim 4:12). Health issues lingered (1 Tim 5:23). Timidity characterized his spirit at times (2 Tim 1:7). Youthful lusts ricocheted around his heart (2 Tim 2:22).
At the same time, though, God had given Timothy what he needed to face the battles: His Word, His Spirit, and His people. Timothy's mother and grandmother poured God’s inspired Word into him (2 Tim 1:5, 3:16-17). God’s Spirit empowered and guided him (2 Tim 1:7, 14). His mentor Paul modeled faith for him in the good times and the bad (2 Tim 3:10-11).
Indeed, Paul implored Timothy to remain faithful even when the apostle was facing his own death. “Discharge all the duties of your ministry,” Paul said, “For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time of my departure is near” (2 Tim 4:5-6). Paul knew the ferocity of the enemy’s arrows of persecution, but he also knew the power of God’s ultimate protection. Die if he must for the sake of the gospel, he still knew that death was actually victory: “The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom” (2 Tim 4:18). You see, when you’ve lived like Paul did with such faith that death is no longer a threat, the enemy’s attacks simply lose their force. You can finish well when finishing doesn’t frighten you anymore.
We simply don’t, however, finish well by accident, as the enemy is too subtly wicked to let that happen. Finishing well begins with intentionally and faithfully fighting the good fight today.
ACTION STEPS:
- Pray fervently that you will finish well.
- Challenge a young person to choose to finish each day well so that he or she finishes well in the end.
PRAYER: “God, help me to run the race well to the end.”
TOMORROW’S READING: Titus 1-3, Philemon 1
