2 Timothy 4:18 – “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.”
This verse is a portion of Paul’s letter to Timothy, whom he considered a dear son. Throughout the letter, we see Paul encouraging Timothy and giving him practical advice. But he also shares a bit of his suffering, stressing with confidence that he’s finished his race and he’s got a crown of righteousness awaiting him.
Knowing how much Paul suffered at the hands of the Romans, it really makes one wonder how he survived it all with his faith intact. For someone who himself persecuted the early believers of Christ, his transformation and subsequent ministry is awe inspiring. We might never have to endure hardships like flogging, starvation, prison sentences, shipwrecks or intense persecution for our faith. But we can certainly learn from Paul who persevered through it all and still continued to praise God.
Paul had the confidence that God would deliver him from evil and preserve him for heaven… and so must we. We cannot survive with small faith that seeks God for just the daily needs. Let’s rise up in our faith, expect great things from God and make the effort to do great things for God. May we too live spiritually productive lives, so at the end we can echo the words of Paul in 2 Timothy 4:7 – “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
