Day 21

2 Timothy 4:6-8 – Day 21

As Paul comes to the end of his life in prison, he speaks these poignant words to the young Christian Timothy, whom he trained to carry on the work of spreading the good news of Jesus:

For I am already being poured out like a drink offering and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 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.

For Paul, who was soon to be martyred for his beliefs, the glory was not in dying for the faith, but in living the faith to the end. While Paul and so many others risked their lives, even to the point of death, the call to us today is not necessarily to die for the faith, but to live the faith. While the cost to us might not be death, there is nonetheless a cost to following Jesus, in the way we live, how we spend our time and our money, the commitments we make and keep.

During these 21 days, let’s be inspired by those heroes of the faith who have fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith so that we can now do the same.

How do we keep the faith in our time?

What will it cost you in your life to keep the faith?