2 Timothy
4:9-18
9 Do
your best to come to me soon. 10 For
Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to
Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. 11 Luke alone is with
me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry. 12 Tychicus I have sent
to Ephesus. 13 When
you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and
above all the parchments. 14 Alexander
the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will repay him according to his
deeds. 15 Beware of
him yourself, for he strongly opposed our message. 16 At my first defense no one came to stand by me,
but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them! 17 But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so
that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles
might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. 18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and
bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and
ever. Amen.
St Peter speaks of the devil prowling around like a roaring
Lion. Amos refers to the Lion of Judah, which relates to God. But here St Paul
picks up on St Peter’s illustration as those things opposed to our message. “So
I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.” He helps to illustrate that there are
many threats and especially as he is now in prison.
He speaks about the things that are helpful, and the things that
have abandoned him. He has lost some friends along the way. He has also gained
some strong adversaries. This is the course of all our lives. We find new
friends and retain some of our old ones. But we should never be short of
enemies.
St Paul instructs Timothy to watch out for Alexander the
coppersmith. But there is also hope. Even though people may fall away. Even
though there may just be you standing up for what is right. There is hope. St
Paul speaks about the Lord standing with him. Just as the fourth man in the
Fiery Furnace. But more to the Daniel lesson at hand, God has rescued St Paul
from the mouth of lion. He has rescued him from the power of the devil. He has
given him the words to speak.
“The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me
safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”
This should be our cry each day as well. We can be thankful that Christ died
for all our sins. He has saved us from the power of the devil. He even stands
by our side as we face Governors and Leaders. Jesus instructed us to take up
our cross and follow him. So lift high that cross that has marked you as one
redeemed by Christ the Crucified and Go Tell it on the Mountain.
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