by Pastor Douglas Brauner

Living, Breathing, and Speaking God’s Word

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.”
2 Timothy 2:1-2 English Standard Version

As seems so often the case, when my Christmas Cactus goes through its growth spurt, it will send out one or two blossoms. It is not the season for it to bloom, so why does it?  I haven’t a clue, but it is beautiful and what I need after a long, cold winter.

When Paul wrote the words above to his friend and fellow pastor, Timothy, it was a long, cold winter for him. He was in a Roman dungeon waiting to be executed for his proclaiming Jesus as the Savior of humanity. Throughout his ministry, he had been persecuted for saying that there was no salvation in any other name than the name of Jesus.

It would appear to us who sit on the outside of Paul’s story, that it was not the time for him to blossom as a child of God. Yet, as he waits for death, he encourages Timothy to be about the work to which God had called him, the work of living, breathing, and speaking the life-giving word of God.

Maybe you are going through a season where it defies your expectations that you would live, breathe, and speak the love of God into another person’s life. You might feel that you are in a dungeon either of your own making or of life’s circumstances. Paul’s words of encouragement are meant for us too. We live, breathe, and speak God’s love whether it feels like the time to do so or not.

As God’s Spirit used Paul at a time that seemed out of season, so that same Spirit will use you. It might even be that your living, breathing, and speaking God’s word out of season will bring joy to someone else.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado