"At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them. But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me...."
(2 Timothy 4:16, 17a)
There was a very sad song of the seventies which had the recurring phrase, "alone again, naturally." It revealed a person who believed his lot in life was to be alone, abandoned.
There comes a time in most lives that our text seems to be the theme of life, people alone, either abandoned by family, so-called friends, colleagues, or just------------- alone. Now it may be a reality or an imagined abandonment, but nonetheless painful. The truth in life is that everyone we know cannot be with us all the time. I can remember that day I took Stephen to the hospital for tests. I sat in a phone booth for hours------------ alone.
Our text speaks of people who deliberately, "forsook," Paul. The reasons may have varied, but the affect was the same------------- alone, forsaken, feelings of abandonment.
Paul says something, however, which seems "elementary," yet too often forgotten, "But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me," literally, "filled me with power, made me strong." This is the great Ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ today. It was a very scary, lonely, somewhat confused Tuesday afternoon in late December 1969, "But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me." I am here today because, "But the Lord [Jesus Christ] stood with me and filled me with power and made me strong." I will be here tomorrow because of that/Him, whether on this earth or in Glory. And, my friend, in that day when we stand before the Throne, we will have no fear, for after we hear the words, "enter thou," eternally we will remember---------- "BUT THE LORD JESUS CHRIST STOOD WITH ME AND STRENGTHENED ME."!!
Father, in Jesus' Name, there are not now, nor will there ever be words or deeds which can say the "Thank You" which arises from this reality. Amen.
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The truth about the budget battle and Israel's Livni at: www.apf327.blogspot.com
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
