June 26 - Be Strong

 Read today’s texts first: Jonah 1-4; 2 Timothy 2

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY

Grace is strength under control,  power tempered by
Gentleness and conviction coupled with forgiveness.

Timothy, as a young pastor of a large influential church, is facing some challenges that will push him far beyond his age, experience, or training. False teachers are infiltrating the church of Ephesus, most of them older and supposedly wiser than Timothy. And yet Paul is urging him to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus (2:2). That’s the X Factor – God’s grace. Paul knew from his own experience that God’s grace is sufficient and that His strength is made perfect in [our] weakness (2 Cor. 12:9).

If only Jonah had a mentor like Paul. Maybe he could have saved the time he wasted running from God. You can’t outrun God’s call on your life. He may have avoided the stormy seas you can expect if you ignore His call. He may have enjoyed his belly full of fish instead of enduring a fish belly full of Jonah! He may have arrived at Nineveh in style instead of being vomited up on a beach, likely with bad body odor, bleached skin and seaweed in his hair. Maybe his experience and weird looks helped him get his message across to the Ninevites, but God’s grace would have been a lot easier!

God’s grace would also have helped him process his disappointment with God when He withheld His judgment from Nineveh. That’s the nature of His grace. Like meekness, it is strength under control, it is power tempered by gentleness, it is conviction coupled with forgiveness. Look at how Paul advised Timothy: the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth (2:28,29). God’s strength is available to us, not to win fights or arguments, but to win souls.

“Lord, there’s no point in running from Your will so I ask for Your grace to be strong enough to do it!”