June 28th, 21

Paul is still fighting the good fight. He's running the race well, he's rounding the last corner, and he's nearing the finish line. At the end of this letter, we are being offered some wisdom, some advice from a man who has run the race well.  Paul asks for a coat, a book, and a friend. These are the needs of a man who has run well. He's poured out His life for the sake of Christ. And the things that he desires at this moment, are a coat, a book and a friend. These are things that we all need to run well, we need a coat because we live in a world where it gets cold. It's harsh, it's broken. We need a coat to keep warm, to get us through, to encourage and to cover us. This is what we see Christ offering us in a cold, broken world. He's come to bring his warmth, his presence, to our life, to revive us and cover us Galatians 2:27 says, and all who have been united with Christ in baptism, have put on Christ like putting on new clothes. We're told to clothe ourselves with Christ, to put them on like a coat. He's the only one who can break the chill of this world and keep us warm. Paul also asked Timothy to make sure that he brings the books, the letters, when he comes. If we want to run this race well, to the very end like Paul, we're going to need the book, the letters, God's word, his constant encouragement and instruction, to help us run the race. And finally, Paul asked for a friend. He asked for his friend, John Mark. We need friends. We learn to overcome life's struggles together in the company of others, we learn to struggle together, Paul and John Mark had struggled with each other. In fact, at one point, they had to go their separate ways. They couldn't even travel with each other because of the strong disagreement they had. But here we see what the gospel does in the life of someone who has run the race. Well, the gospel has the power to reconcile friends. To bring us back together again. We see that Paul needs his friend, john mark, and we need each other. We need community. In community we learn to lay down our lives for each other, to serve and honor one another. We absolutely need friends. Paul needed a coat, a book and a friend. These are tools we need to run the race well to fight the good fight. After going through a year of a global pandemic, this wisdom from Paul has never been so needed. So wear your coat, pick up the book and be a friend. That's the prayer that I have from my own soul. That's the prayer that I have for my family from my daughters, my son and that's the prayer that I have for you may be so

You are loved!