Thursday 23rd March - 2 Timothy 1
Today’s chapter is 2 Timothy 1
Tom writes:
We are called to life (v1). Sometimes the enormity and beauty of that is lost on me. Amid the obligations and desires and confessions and consecrations I sometimes lose sight of the fact that this whole thing is about us living. It is about grace, mercy and peace flowing into how we grab our quick breakfasts, how we work through our emails, how we respond to the people who bump into us during the day. That is an exhilarating thought. That is a heck of a promise. We have been saved by Jesus so that we can live the life that is real life. It is a life soaked in the flavour of immortality. It is a life of in-your-face power and love and self-discipline; of the gifts of God being fanned into flame and issued forth. It is a life of suffering for the gospel and finding that that is a deeply joyful place. It is a life of being deserted by many but being wonderfully refreshed by some. It is a life of guarding the great deposit that has been put in us. It is the life of eternity. It is the life of the Kingdom of God lived out in glorious liberation and satisfaction and generosity. It is life to the full. We are called to that kind of life. So what are you doing with that call? Are you even hearing it? Take a moment. Stop everything and breathe in hard.
Suck up the invitation to life, nay, the promise of life that is now yours in Jesus Christ. Let it tantalise your thoughts and seep into your feelings. The ancients and the wise tell us that solitude and silence are essential for soaking up grace. An unhurried schedule is a non-negotiable if you want a life that is rich, abounding in blamelessness and love and joy. It doesn’t mean doing less. It just means giving space for God to breathe on you as you do your stuff and think your thoughts. I am praying for you right now that you know this grace. I am praying that you awaken yourself to your need to grasp hold of, to fan into flame, to intentionally do (or not do) certain things so that all the immensity of this promise can burn bright in your heart. Jesus has made this rich and joyous life available to you. Through prayer and obedience you can sow that life into your life.
Question for reflection
Do you know the joy and peace of an unhurried soul?