Strength in Grace

Strength in Grace. 2 Timothy 2.1-7

Greetings, my dear friends. 

I love the word grace, but for obvious reasons, I guess I generally think of it in spiritual terms ~

Grace being

~favor that God gives because he loves so much

    ~favor that I do not deserve

        ~favor that covers my sin with the cross’s ransom

   ~favor that makes eternity in heaven a reality

but the grace that Jesus made possible for you and me is also our source of strength, and an ever constant resource which we can access.  It is interesting because until we need it, until we realize that whatever we are up against just might be bigger than us, and unless or until we run into a situation that is totally out of our control … well, we just may never access the strength in the grace of God.

 Paul writes to Timothy from his heart:  You then, my son,

be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.

~Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer.

~Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules.

~The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.  2 Timothy 2.1-7

In life, folks can sometimes think of grace as delicate … like a grace note in music, which is quick, but extraneous to the melody perhaps.  In reality, grace is steady, strong, constant and essential to the melody of our lives.  Paul instructs young Timothy, in the church at Ephesus, being tested by those who are preaching another gospel, by those who would like to confuse or constrain the truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ and by still others who wish to intimidate him because of his age, to remain steadfast and strong.

Paul highlights three vocations that require strength and focus—soldier, athlete and farmer—indicating the need for the self-discipline of hard work as well as following the rules--in the daily practices of all three.  This is so applicable for one who needs to be strong in the midst of testing or turmoil.  And do not be mistaken—when in a season of trials, it is sometimes hard work to trust God no matter what, to thank him at all times, keep praying, and rejoice always.¹

Paul himself knew about accessing the power in God’s grace for living. In his letter to the Corinthians, he talks about asking God to heal him of his ‘thorn in the flesh’; three times, he begged God, and God said ‘no.’ “But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.”²

So how did Paul access God’s sufficient grace?  And how do we draw strength from his grace?  First, we are talking here about grace in such a way that we remember that God acts in our lives, generously and powerfully … he does for us what we cannot do ourselves.  Grace is ministered to us by the Holy Spirit but it doesn’t just fall out of the sky upon us! We have to open ourselves to God’s grace. We have to interact with it.³ 

We all experience different seasons in our lives . . . times of quiet, times of sweetness, and yes, times of difficulties and trials . . . all are part of life.  But God gives us strength, if we but look to him.  This strength is another part of what he metes out to us through his grace ~ the grace of an all-perfect, all-holy, all-powerful, all-knowing, always present God, who is also all-merciful.  Thanks be to God! 

Suppose I shall now look at grace through a different set of glasses – aye, that through which grace extends and embodies strength.