2 Timothy 4:6-8
“For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” (NIV)
Are you ready to depart this mortal life? The thought of leaving the known may send shivers up your spine, or it may send jolts of excitement through your soul. We all have regrets, because we all make decisions we would have made differently, if we could go back.
Since we cannot go back, we learn, to learn from the past, to have a better today and an even better tomorrow. For the child of God, we learn to trust God to help us through the difficult days. As you read the passage, asked yourself these questions:
- Am I fighting the good fight, or am I engaged in pointless battles over things that do not matter to my salvation and the salvation of others?
- How am I keeping the faith? Can I say I am keeping the faith, if I am not sharing the faith?
- If today was my last day on earth, would I receive a crown of righteousness?
And as you pray through this passage today:
- Give thanks for God’s sacrificial love,
- Ask for wisdom to fight good fights of faith,
- Ask for strength to continue to fight,
- And look forward in faith, to the day when Jesus will say, “well done.”
“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ (Matthew 25:23 NIV).
RICHARD NEPAUL 