God’s Grace is the Source of Our Strength
Devotional Contributor: Al Schierbaum
Scripture:
2 Timothy 2:1 “You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”
Observation:
Timothy was a disciple of Paul and a man of God! He was given an assignment to pastor the people in Ephesus, which greatly challenged him. Timothy seemed by nature to be a little timid and fearful. To pastor the people in Ephesus it would take daily courage, boldness, and conviction of the truth. Based upon Paul’s letter, Timothy was allowing his fears to affect his leadership and he became a timid leader and Paul knew that the work of the gospel takes boldness and conviction. Although Timothy loved Jesus, he had his weaknesses, and his weaknesses were getting the best of him. In Second Timothy, Paul is writing to encourage and challenge his young protégé. At the heart of his encouragement to Timothy was, “You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus”. God’s grace is manifested in many ways in the life of a believer, but in this context, His grace is the power to live bold, pure, free, and courageous. This was Paul’s last book to write before his death, so he had a lifetime of experience to draw from. To be successful, He like any believer in Christ, must be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
Application:
We gain strength to do God’s work in our family, finances, fitness, and faculty/career by drawing from His grace. His grace is His enabling power that will give you everything you need to live out your calling. Your example of being strengthened by His grace will encourage others. As Timothy did, pass this along to others who are faithful, so that the work will continue to grow.
In Second Timothy Paul told Timothy to be strengthened by His to: live out his calling 1:6,7, stand firm in the truth 3:1-17, have the courage to not be ashamed of Christ in the midst of social pressure 1:8-12, overcome youthful lusts 2:22-26, and to be ready daily to make Christ known 4:1-8. I believe what Timothy needed is what most of us need. Many of us struggle with living out our calling, standing firm, courage, lusts, and telling others about Jesus. We need to be strengthened by His grace for our lives to live bold and free in Christ. There is no formula for this, it boils down to your willingness to be honest about your fears and weaknesses, and then trust God to live victoriously in these areas. His grace will be sufficient, but you must choose to rely upon Him 24/7.
Request:
Dear Lord Jesus, I need your grace to live out who I desire to be in You. This world wants to and has intimidated me to be timid. I do not want to live in fear and lack courage anymore. From this moment on, please strengthened by your grace because I choose to live courageously for You. Amen.