Final Request

When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments.
2 Timothy 4:13

I have heard the question asked many different ways...If you were stranded on an island and could have a limited number of items, what would you want? What about if you were in prison? A careful reading of 2 Timothy reveals that the Apostle Paul knew that death was coming. He was imprisoned and in his own words, his life was being poured out like an offering. His requests are significant. He wants the scrolls and parchments. These were likely copies of the Scriptures along with what could have been early copies of the Gospels. Not long after his request, Paul was martyred. Fifteen centuries later on October 6, 1536 William Tyndale was strangled and burnt at the stake in the prison yard of the castle of Vilvoorden just a few miles from Brussels, Belgium. His principle “crime” was to be the first man to print the New Testament in the English language. Reportedly, when in prison Tyndale made the following request, “Send me, for Jesus’ sake, a warmer cap, something to patch my leggings, a woolen shirt, and above all my Hebrew Bible.” It’s not likely that you are reading this devotional in the cell of a literal prison, but you may be imprisoned by certain habits or destructive thought patterns. You may feel trapped by your circumstances. The Bible provides both comfort and counsel in the most difficult times. When I read how these men requested the Scriptures, it inspires me. Further, when I consider these men, I recognize that Paul wrote much of the New Testament and Tyndale paved the way to make it readable for us. They both died as martyrs. Their sacrifice made it possible for me to find strength in God today. So, the next time we open a Bible or click an app on our phones (and I hope it’s soon), may God help us cherish His Word and find nourishment for our souls.

Refuge

You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor, but the LORD is their refuge.
Psalm 14:6

I have chosen to meditate on the words of Psalm 14 this week. Today, I will remember that the Lord is a “refuge”. In particular, the Psalm identifies God as a refuge for the poor. Why the poor? For me, it is a reminder that I do not seek refuge unless I recognize my need for God. I must understand that God is present. God is my shelter. To put it more bluntly, I must understand that I need God. My first impression may be to consider the poor only in terms of financial challenges. I believe there is a deeper message. God is a refuge for those who need and seek shelter. Before I celebrate God as my refuge I need to consider how God is described a few verses earlier in the Psalm. God is in heaven looking down on us “to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God”. God is well aware of every evildoer and every attack on the poor. Also, God sees me. Really, God sees me. He observes more than my actions. God sees my heart. He sees what is invisible to all others. God sees my spirit. No wonder Jesus declared “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”. If I am content with my own kingdom, I will turn aside from the kingdom of heaven. The poor in spirit are blessed with a refuge. The Lord is our refuge.

Freedom

But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.
Romans 6:22

Today is a good day to awaken and give thanks for freedom. First, I give thanks for freedom from sin that Jesus has provided. If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed (John 8:36). Also, I give thanks for the freedom we enjoy in America. My appreciation for freedom is coupled with a deep awareness of the responsibility of living a “free” life. I enjoy the benefits of freedom because many have paid and are paying a significant price. So, today is a day to be grateful and it is a day to consider my responsibility. In Romans 6:22, the apostle Paul reminds me that the benefits of freedom touch my everyday life and stretch into eternity. Among those benefits, I must not forget about “holiness”. Holiness is the fruit of freedom. Paul provides a framework for life. He says I am free from sin and free to live a life that is pure. In Christ, I am no longer a slave to sin. Consequently, my relationships with others are transformed from selfishness to service. Any form of freedom that celebrates an individual expression apart from the God’s plan for our relationship with Him and others is diminished. To be sure, 21st century freedom in America has taken on an individualistic flavor. The result can be devastating if we fail to discern how easily our pursuit of individual desires can turn into unbridled selfishness. The relationship between selfishness and arrogance is well documented. D. A. Carson has identified the “worst form of the perennial human sin”. He calls it “the arrogance that wants to be God”. Ultimately, I must never forget that freedom is a gift from God.