Be Strong in the Grace That Is in Jesus Christ

This meditation is based on a passage for February 9, 2011 in the Daily Lectionary Year 1 from the Book of Common Worship for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (1993).

Text: 2 Timothy 1:15-2:13

Reflection and Question: Paul uses a series of images here to inspire Timothy to stay strong in his ministry while Paul suffers as a prisoner in Rome. First comes a military reference comparing Paul to Timothy’s enlisting officer. Then Paul uses the images of an athlete who needs to follow the rules to win and of the farmer who benefits from the first fruits of the harvest. Most striking are the hints at Paul’s distress at being “chained like a criminal” which drives him to cry out his faithful hope: “But the word of God is not chained!” What are you ready to endure for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus?