The Old Aged Apostle's Last Greeting 53 [2 Tim 4:16-22] / Anne's Faith Column

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The Old Aged Apostle's 

Last Greeting 53

[2 Tim 4:16-22]

 / Anne's Faith Column

 

 

/ By Priscilla

 

 

In his last greeting, 

Paul expresses his concern

for his co-workers who are

far from the assurance 

that the Lord is always 

with them.

 

 

 

If we are in crisis

and there is no one to help us, 

how miserable will we feel!

 

 

 

Those who have never been

through such a situation won't  

be able to even imagine the

hardships and bitter pains both

physically and mentally.

 

 

 

The Apostle Paul had 

to experience discomfort 

and oppression in prison, 

and he was under 

a lot of pressure

 

 

 

to control his burning 

desire for the gospel.

 

 

 

He followed Jesus Christ

to the end despite suffering 

many times from eye disease, 

a thorn in his flesh, which 

was his chronic disease.

 

 

 

How lonely life would 

he have had as a human being, 

without the help of the

Lord in the envy, conspiracy,

shame, humiliation, 

 

 

 

and various crises he had

suffered incidentally?

 

 

 

He was no longer

a young man who was 

full of blood, and he was 

no longer a mature man 

to use all his abilities

to the fullest.

 

 

 

As the stage of his life 

was coming to an end,

he was just an old aged 

Apostle who earnestly wants

to go to the Lord with 

his last hope.

 

 

 

He gave counsel and requests 

to the young man Timothy, 

the true son in the faith, 

 

 

 

and most of all, 

he must have desperately 

wanted Timothy to inherit

 his confident faith.

 

 

 

In particular, 

Paul's attitude of faith, 

in which he sublimated 

tolerance and forgiveness

 

 

 

into love for those who 

deserted him in times of crisis, 

is a great inheritance inheritance 

 is a great inheritance we can

all inherit from him.

 

 

 

In his deep conversation

with God, Paul makes the

 following confessions of faith:

 

 

 

"The Lord stood at my side 

and gave me strength, 

 

 

 

so that through me 

the message might be

fully proclaimed 

 

 

 

and all the Gentiles 

might hear it. 

 

 

 

And I was delivered from 

the lion's mouth.

 

 

 

The Lord will rescue me

from every evil attack 

and will bring me safely 

  to his heavenly kingdom."

(2Tim 4 : 17~18) 

 

 

 

Let's review Paul's confident

confession once again.

 

 

 

The above words are 

the confession of faith that

can only be made by those 

who are in the Lord 

 

 

 

and the Lord is in them,

that is, only those who are 

united with the Lord.

 

 

 

We cannot help 

admiring his faith.

 

 

 

Paul always thought and 

loved the co-workers

of the faith. 

 

 

 

We thank God for giving us 

also such a view of faith that 

that values ​​faith exchange

like Paul.

 

 

 

I feel that we need to 

look back our footsteps so far, 

share love with our co-workers

   and encourage each one of them.

 

 

 

Also, although we're all

 busy with our own lives, 

if we can afford the time 

for spiritual exchange with 

 our co-workers of faith, 

 

 

 

it will surely become 

a vital force in our lives.

 

 

 

Also, we will become

'angels of God's light'

who can work out many 

problems together that 

each of us faces.

 

 

 

Therefore, here are some

resolutions as follows.

 

 

 

1. Let's give up the life

dominated by the environment.

 

 

 

2. Let's do our best in prayer 

so that we can become 

believers who have

inner peace.

 

 

 

3. Let's have an open attitude

to interact with co-workers

of faith all the time.

 

 

 

4. Let's give thanks to God 

for giving us physical strength.

 

 

 

Prayer

 

 

 

Lord!

Help us to see through 

the deep will of the Lord!

 

 

 

Lord!

No matter what our circumstances, 

lead us to give thanks to God 

who makes the best way for us.

 

 

Let us entrust all of the 

incidental problems that may 

arise in our circumstance 

to You, obey and follow

You like Paul. 

 

 

 

And please guide us into 

 a beautiful union with You!

 

 

 

Amen.

 

 

 

2009/10/05 

 

 

/ By Priscilla