A Trustworthy Saying

"Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him.  If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself."

2 Timothy 2: 11-13

 

How easy is it to hear something in our world today, and claim with full confidence that it is a completely trustworthy saying?  I imagine it is difficult to answer that question, but without any hesitation, Paul is telling us, in this letter to Timothy, that the saying in the scripture above is fully trustworthy.  When something is trustworthy we can take that to the bank, we can completely count on it.  What Paul says here is something that we can build a secure foundation of our life on.  This saying is trustworthy to the point where we can fully build our lives on it.  Paul is telling us promises of God in the verses above.  The first promise is perhaps the most foundational to our walk following Jesus.  God promises that if we die with Him, we will also live with Him!  What an amazing claim!  This is the same teaching that Jesus tells us in the Gospels.  If we are to die to ourselves we live through Him.  We know that what Jesus is saying is that we are to die to our self-will, so that we may live for Him.  Doing this means to pass on the instant gratification of the things we want, trusting that self-sacrifice and service to others is the foundational attitude that leads to an abundant life.  As we seek to deny our will and desires, God fills our minds and hearts with His.  This is a daily practice, not a one and done decision.  We must wake up each day and thank the Lord for another opportunity to serve Him.  It is vital to pray and ask the Holy Spirit to lead us each new day into the thoughts, words, and actions He has for us, and to give us the strength to deny ourselves.  This is Kingdom living that leads to the first promise, that as we die, what we are really doing is living with Him.  The next is a call to endurance.  As we endure in this process of sanctification, purification, and denial of self, the Lord promises a reward.  God always blesses patient endurance!  As we push through the self denial and living in this world with faith and endurance, Jesus promises the reward, ultimately, is that we will reign with Him.  Perhaps the most profound promise in this scripture is towards the end.  Jesus promises to remain faithful to us, even if we become faithless and disown Him.  How wonderful, in the truest sense of wonder, is this!  Even if I become faithless, Jesus will always remain faithful to me!  This brings to memory all the times over the years where I was faithless.  Times when I ran from God, not trusting in Him or His promises.  Times where I didn't care, didn't feel His presence, or merely wasn't interested.  I am so grateful that in all of those times, Jesus remained, and continues to remain, faithful to me.  I am truly humbled when I consider all those instances I was unfaithful, not enduring, and certainly not denying my self will, yet my Savior remained faithful to me!  Today, pray and thank the Lord for remaining faithful to you.  Allow this gratitude to take anchor in your heart, and allow the Holy Spirit to lead you to endurance in this walk of faith.  Love you all!  Praying for you and yours!  Have a blessed day, it's your choice!