Written by Trevor Bradley
Paul, nearing the end of his journey, decides to write to Timothy, his “spiritual son”. 2 Timothy 4 vs 6-8 is his heart. What would you say, if you were asked by a younger person to share some of word of advice, about this journey called “life” ? Paul says/does 3 things here:-
- He LOOKS AROUND;
- He LOOKS BACK;
- He LOOKS AHEAD;
When Paul looks around, even though things are going “pear-shaped”, he has no fear.
When looking back, Paul has no regrets about past disappointments or failures.
Then looking ahead, Paul has no doubt.
It is easy for us to allow the devil to fill our hearts with fear as we look at the here and now. With the #feesmustfall violent protests, the fear that our country will be downgraded to junk status, concerns about the leadership capabilities of our government, it is easy to be fearful and concerned for our future. One of the biggest tools the evil one uses to immobilize us and to render us ineffective, is to get us to look back. Based on what we see, the devil tells us that GOD cannot and will not use us. Read the life story of Peter and many others in the Bible and you can argue with him on that one.
Fear …Regrets… Doubt… These are tools he uses against us often. How do we overcome this? Read Revelation 12 vs 11 and 1 John 5 vs 4. These people overcame because of the Blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony. They declared that God is who is says He is. He is doing what He said He would do, and He is in control of everything that He said He would be in control of in our lives.
So yet again I ask – If asked as you looked around, looked back, looked ahead, would you be able to encourage the younger generation, that the God we serve and have served is Faithful? That the work set out for you to do, you have done? That the course that was set before you, you have run?
Paul encourages us in Philippians 3 vs 13 & 14 ” forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I PRESS ON”. That’s someone that is not scared of what is going down. This is a person which says I know that soon I will receive a crown in glory, as all of us will (2 Timothy 4 vs 6-8), therefore I will give it my “best” to the end.
That’s the kind of person the younger generation are looking for as role models. I want to be one, do you?
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