Today's Scripture
TODAY’S READING SCHEDULE: Ezra 3-5; 2 Timothy 2
sharing the suffering – 2 Timothy 2:1-13
So, my child, draw your strength from the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 Take the things you heard me say in front of many other witnesses and pass them on to faithful people who are also capable of teaching others.
3 Accept your share of suffering like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 Nobody who serves in the military gets tied up with civilian matters, so that they can please the one who recruited them. 5 Also in the same way, athletes don’t win unless they follow the rules. 6 A hardworking farmer should get the first share of the crop. 7 Think about what I’m saying; the Lord will give you understanding about everything.
8 Remember Jesus Christ, who was raised from the dead and descended from David. This is my good news. 9 This is the reason I’m suffering to the point that I’m in prison like a common criminal. But God’s word cannot be imprisoned. 10 This is why I endure everything for the sake of those who are chosen by God so that they too may experience salvation in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 11 This saying is reliable:
“If we have died together, we will also live together.
12 If we endure, we will also rule together.
If we deny him, he will also deny us.
13 If we are disloyal, he stays faithful”
because he can’t be anything else than what he is.
What does this passage mean to me/us?
It is bold for Paul to tell Timothy to participate in suffering. He must have known that suffering is part of the journey, and there is joy revealed in this process.
In Korea, every man needed to serve in the military for two years. It is hard to get out of it. So there is a saying, ‘if you can’t get out of it, enjoy the pain.’ For me, Paul sounds like all the people who told me to enjoy the pain. They all sounded crazy at first, but I soon got to understand their intention.
Following Christ is like swimming against the current. There will be a pain, just because we are fixing our eyes on a different goal. While we are on this journey, we need to think about who called us to this path regularly. Like Paul says, “Think about what I’m saying; the Lord will give you understanding about everything” (v. 7). While we participate in this suffering, we will understand the full meaning of God’s will, as we see our Lord walking with us on this journey.
I know this is a vague concept. It is hard to explain unless we walk in this direction.
Prayer
Lord, help us to use this day to pause and think of the direction we are heading toward. Grant us your wisdom to find the right path.
In Christ Name we pray, AMEN.
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