To The Work, 2 Timothy 4:2

To The Work

2 Timothy4:2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage - with great patience and careful instruction.

One more day on this verse... I wanted to talk about this phrase, Preach The Word. It is very special to me. If you have been at Saville BiC church in Pennsylvania, it is displayed on the stained glass window in the front of the church. I first saw it when I was little and have done so many times since. It is on a ribbon in the mouth of a dove. Further down on the window is another phrase. It says: Thou Hast The Words Of Life Eternal. These two phrases go together well and have always intrigued me...

Today the projector screen is usually covering part of it. those listening to the sermon do not see it. In fact, the preacher no longer stands beneath it. Despite being of utmost importance, it is hidden from view and from most people's minds. But, I know it is there! And it still affects me. You see, one day I felt God calling me to preach and those words cut to my heart. So, when I think of those words, I think of God's calling. It seems like such a long time ago, back in the 90's.

The call seems so far removed, now... I spent years feeling God moving me in that direction. I even took some directed studies towards that goal. Then God moved me into teaching and I felt I was where God wanted me... maybe this was my church, my students, all students my parishioners?

But then, it all fell apart. I lost my job and my contact with my students. Part of losing my job was my fault, some not. Now, to some extent, I am lost, confused. What was the call I heard? If I messed up the opportunity, would it ever return? Where does God wanat me now?

Within the last month, I heard the voice again. You know, that quiet voice that somehow you know is the Spirit talking. I said, where ever you want me... if you want me... if you can direct me... I am willing.

K and A, I believe God calls each believer to a work. Maybe that's an odd way to phrase it... but it reminds me of a hymn - to the work, to the work... I'm sure there's more to it. In the simplest of words, God has something for you to do. You may be confused on what that is, but he still has one for you. You may even see him reshape the goal into something different than what you first heard. As long as it is him doing the molding, that's okay. The key thing to remember is that you must be willing to go whereever and whenever he calls. Never reject the work he has for you to do!

Daughters, I am not sure how God will use you to preach the word, but I am convinced that he will use you as you are willing and yield to his call.

One last thing... when I was younger than you are now, in my teenage years and in my early twenties, there was a popular saying: God has a perfect plan for you life. Well, that is a crazy thought to me today. I tried hard to find that plan. Along the way, I could not find it, then one day I figured it out... If God had a perfect plan for me, I already messed it up, because I am not perfect and certainly haven't followed him perfectly despite that being my goal.

You are not perfect, either, neither one of you. You can probably think of ways you have messed up God's plan in your short life. There are things you should not have done, people you should have witnessed to better, and a life that should have exemplified him more, and you didn't. Remember that God takes you from where you are and is able to not only purify you use you again. Faithfulness starts begins today. Begin again, recommit your life to him, today for he has a work for you to do!

~Dad