For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and a persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed to Him until that Day.
I Timothy 1:12
I Timothy 1:12
Sacrifice. That is what Paul is talking about. All the things he has given up for the kingdom. Paul gave up position as an up and coming Pharisee. He gave up the comfort of being based in one place, convenient money, his heritage and to a certain degree much of the education he had acquired didn’t apply to the people Jesus sent him to convert. Yet he is not ashamed and prior to this encouraged Timothy not to be ashamed of the message they shared or of Paul because of his current situation.
Paul knows he will die this time. From the dungeon he tells Timothy not to be afraid but to put his spiritual gifts to full use. He is ready to sacrifice more -- to be poured out like a drink offering. He has finished what God sent him to do. He is sure that he has done all that God has called him to do and confident that heaven and more awaits him.
How was Paul able to write this incredible letter to his faith-son? He was confident in the person of Jesus. He knew that he had made the sacrifices for Jesus and that would not be in vain. He was rightly counting on Jesus not to lose anything he had sacrificed in His cause. When things were grim he remembered that he had done it for Jesus and that Jesus would keep track of all his sacrifices; the tangible and the intangible.
Are we confident in whom we have believed? Do we try to get our sacrifice back when we fill uncertain? Or do we like the apostle count on the one we have believed in? Paul was not recanting his life or living with regret, he was pressing towards the call our Father has put on us. Let me encourage you to put away fear of loss and to commit your sacrifice to Christ. Leave your sacrifice on the altar. Trust in the One you have believed.
Counting the Cost,
Pastor Jason
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