In this
second letter to Pastor Timothy, the great Apostle talks about the importance
of relationships being built on trust. Paul had been imprisoned for preaching
the Gospel and was concerned about Timothy effectively and accurately guarding
the message of Jesus Christ.
In the midst
of his personal storm, Paul found an anchor – his deeply-rooted confidence in the
Resurrected Christ. It was a confidence he had developed as he personally
experienced Christ for himself.
Note that Paul
expresses his confidence as a relationship: “I know whom
I have believed, and am persuaded that he
is able to keep that which I have committed unto him
against that day.” Paul is all about the Gospel, but at the very core of his
belief and practice is his abiding confidence in Christ Jesus.
There is
nothing dry or Pharisaic about Paul’s confidence. He personally knows and has
experienced Christ! And, in all his ministry experiences -- shipwreck, torture,
imprisonment, ridicule – his confidence doesn’t waver, because he knows Christ to
be true.
A strong confidence
in Jesus Christ will change the way we view life. The stronger our relationship
with him, the stronger our confidence will be. The more we know his character,
the more our character will change. The
more we identify his work in our lives, the more we are persuaded to commit to
him. We may not know about tomorrow. We may not know what the future holds. But
when we know the One who holds our hand, that is enough.
Dear Father, thank you for introducing
yourself to us through Jesus Christ. Empower us to know whom we have believed
and commit all things to him. This I pray in the name of Jesus. AMEN
Be strong and courageous today
committed to Christ,
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