Paul begins this section with "Timothy my dear son, be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus." v. 1 So HOW can we be strong through God's grace? Paul compares the Christian life to several roles with which we are all familiar. We can make application from each one of these.
- Teachers. v. 2 Timothy is to take the truths Paul has taught him, and teach it to others who will in turn pass it on.
- Soldiers. v. 3-4 Soldiers must endure hardness and resist distractions from civilian life. We must do the same.
- Athletes. v. 5 Athletes must follow the rules.
- Farmers. v. 6 Farmers are the first to enjoy the fruits of their harvest.
- Workers. v. 15 A good worker need not be ashamed, and he or she will correctly explain the word of truth.
- Utensils. v. 20 Usable tools must be clean and ready for the Master's use.
- Servants. v. 24 A servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome, but he or she must be kind to everyone, able to teach, and patient with difficult people.
Psalm 117
This is the shortest chapter in the Bible. It praises the Lord for His great love for all the people of the earth. Though God's love and mercy and grace and His plan of salvation are sufficient to cover the sins of the whole world, this does not mean that every individual accepts His love and trusts Him for salvation. In fact, we are sad to see that a great many do not. But this fact, of course, takes nothing away from God's generosity.
Also, this brief psalm praises God that His love will never fail and it lasts forever. Surely, He is worthy of our highest praise!
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