Scripture

Timothy, my dear son, be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus.

Observation

Paul exhorts Timothy to be strong through the grace that comes from Jesus Christ. Timothy has heard Paul teach truths confirmed by witnesses. It is now Timothy’s turn to pass on these teachings to trustworthy people who, in turn, will pass them on to others.

Timothy needs to be like a soldier who is totally dedicated to pleasing his commanding officer. He should be the athlete who follows the rules, or the farmer who works hard to enjoy the fruit of their labour.

Application

We need the grace of God to live the life that God calls us to. This is particularly true of pastors and other christian leaders who face high levels of spiritual opposition. It is true, though, of every christian.

We are saved by grace. Every christian believes this. There is nothing we can do to earn God’s forgiveness.

This same grace is like oxygen for the Christian life. We are called to a life of holiness. That is, we are set apart for God. We are to avoid sin and pursue righteousness, devoted to serving God in all that we do.

I can’t do that and neither can you. Sin has too tight a hold on us. Unless the Lord intervenes, we give in to every temptation.

So we need to seek God’s grace every day. We need grace to not sin. We need grace to do the things that God has asked us to do. We need grace to just stay close to God.

The good news about grace is that it is unlimited. A waterfall of grace is pouring down on each of us everyday. All we have to do is open ourselves to receive it.

Prayer

Father, I need your grace to stand firm in you. Please help me to stand strong in you. Amen