8-19-2016

Good Morning All!!          

      2 Timothy 4:7; “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

     We have been watching the Olympics like many of you are.  The competition is always interesting as well as the back stories of how these men and women come to reach this level of ability.  They spend hours upon hours for most of their life to reach a point where it is all on display now.  I always feel for the athlete that trips, slips, falls or in some way fails to show their true level of skill.  For most athletes, it is one thing to lose but it is very difficult to lose when you perform at less than your best.  Whenever you compete at less than your best, you will always question “what if?”.  You will always wonder what if I had tried a little harder, practiced a little longer, gave a little more effort; could I have been the winner, could I have won the gold?  That is a haunting question that will follow you forever.

   In Paul’s final letter to his “adopted” son and protégé Timothy, Paul makes a very personal and loving plea to Timothy to remain faithful to God’s Word and to cling only to that Word.  The time is coming when people will turn away from God’s true Word and Paul wants young Timothy to remain faithful.  Then Paul goes into his statement of faith, his very personal statement of hope.  Paul has given it his all but his hope is found, not in that effort, but it is found in faith.  Paul finds his comfort and hope in the faith that God gave him so that Paul could cling to the promise that God made to him through Jesus.  Paul clings to the promise of what he calls “the crown of righteousness” that is eternal life.

   Without a doubt, life is a battle.  It is a constant struggle to endure the many challenges of life.  From health issues, relationship struggles, trying to understand the impossible, to keep moving forward can be almost impossible.  On our own, without God’s grace, that battle is lost.  Yet God’s mercy shows through by giving us the faith to trust that glory awaits those who cling to the truth by faith.  That same faith that sustained Paul in his race can sustain you in your race. 

    Keep the faith; never lose sight of God’s grace in your life.  Keep the faith; hold onto the promise that God made to you in your Baptism.  You were marked as one claimed by Christ the Crucified.  You are claimed as his child and given a promise that He will never abandon you.  He instills in you the faith to hold onto that promise as you run your race.  The race may be difficult at times but we never run it alone.  God is with us to protect us and to give us the certainty of hope.  This hope gives us strength to run the race, to finish the race and to receive the crown of righteousness.

Father of all mercies; keep us strong in our race.  Send your Spirit to enliven our faith that we may always cling to you.  You are our hope; you are our life.  Be with those who are being challenged at this time.  Guard them with your loving arms.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret