2 Timothy 1: 7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. 8 So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. 9 He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time,
The timid Christian….it is a label I have never understood. There is nothing timid about God, there is nothing timid about Jesus. They stand alone, need no support, and have stood unchanged throughout the ages. That is not timid, that is strength beyond comprehension. A little grammatical note here: the word used as timid is deilia from the Greek word dilos. The first meaning timidity, or fear, the root meaning timid, by implication faithless, or fearful. The CEV translates this passage to God’s spirit doesn’t make cowards out of us…..and God’s spirit most certainly does not make us cowards, on the contrary it gives us the heart of a lion! Paul points out it gives us power, love and self-discipline. How could one be fearful, faithless, or timid with the power, love, and self-discipline of God? Yet we are at times, Paul reminds Timothy not to be ashamed of the testimony of the Lord, or of Paul himself. Interesting, and on some levels comforting to know that even Timothy must have felt the hesitation that all Christians feel from time to time. Yet we must call upon that power, and that love. We must push through the resistance of this world. Why you might ask? Because we are called to a holy life. The Lord has a purpose for you, for me, for the guy sitting in the office next to you. We are not here by accident, we are not just drifting down a stream, and trying to stay between the shores. Oh no my dear reader, if this is how you feel, then I urge you….no I beg you…..spend some time with your Savior. You are called, you have been appointed to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last. His grace is more than enough to sustain us all. Do not allow the timid feeling that the world might press down upon you to rob you of the gift Christ died to give you. Do not allow this world to taint the pure power, love, and self-discipline that has been offered freely to you. If you think you might no deserve it, you would be right….none of us do. That is the beauty of the gift. It is not something we did, it is because He has a purpose for you, it is because of His unfailing, undying, undeserved grace that we can find the strength, the will, and our voice, to step out into the world and boldly proclaim our Savior. Do not be timid, do not be ashamed, do not be faithless. Seize the gift of God’s grace, let His love fill you. Search for the purpose, find it, and attack it with the hedonistic zeal that God has placed in your soul! Not as the timid, but as a warrior for Christ!
God Bless,
Brian Thetford
<((((><
www.thenewcovenantchurch.com
www.theworkweekwithchrist.blogspot.com
No comments:
Post a Comment