April 1, 2020
Strength in Christ
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7
Today’s story describes Paul’s loneliness in a Roman prison after his friends’ desertion of him. But he still reaches out to his trusted friend, Timothy, urging him to make every effort to visit him. Paul knew the sting of rejection and abandonment, therefore, he hopes and prays that Timothy will make the trip to see him. The scriptures don’t tell us that his trusted friend actually made the journey to Rome and that there is happy ending to the story. We can only hope that Timothy dropped what he was doing to bring the coat and books Paul requested. But in his time of isolation Paul was strong as he urged Timothy to be strong: “You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 2:1).
The Lord calls us to be strong-minded and strong in the faith in order to sustain ourselves and others in this time of need. We may feel as if we are in a different kind of cell in these days of separation from family and friends and normal routines, but we have faith that the doors will finally fling open.
Prayer: Lord, help us to rise above our sense of isolation to the strength we find in our companionship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
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