I Will Continue

DEVOTION

2 TIMOTHY

I WILL CONTINUE
2 Tim 1:15-18

15 You know that everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes.

16 May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. 17 On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. 18 May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus.
NIV

Of just what significance does any of this have in my life? Personal comments from Paul about other people seems to have no meaning other than to record some historic fact about how the early church was working. Yet I wonder about whether this deserting thing factors into relationships today. Why would everyone in the province of Asia desert him? Why would they decide to separate themselves from him? Would it have been because he had been arrested for his faith, and they did not want the Romans to think they too believed as he did? So how does that apply to me or anyone today? If the message I proclaim is not a popular one I suppose people might desert listening to my message. In fact, one person did get up and walk out on me in the middle of a lesson regarding investing, or trusting Satan with your money when you confess to trust God with your life. Maybe that is why others stopped attending a class I once lead. My message, my lessons were not popular and did not align with traditional thinking, but rather with the truth of the Word of God. Yet I am sure others teach the truth and have not had deserters. Why me? I don’t think I have deserted anyone. I do think many pastors have deserters. People leave their church for all sorts of reasons. People desert because of worship style, upgrades to the sanctuary, change in music, change in format, and change in anything. I think that is much like those people in the province of Asia, being so concerned about their own self rather than about the truth of the Gospel. Why else would anyone desert another believer who is out there doing God’s will, if it were not out of self concern? I think this also encourages believers to seek out those who are standing up for the truth, no matter the circumstances or the repercussions and to stand by their side for the sake of the Gospel. Maybe many believers today simply want their church to be “Us four and no more.” Anything that challenges them to step out of that comfort zone makes than become a deserted rather than a searcher. I hope I do not fall into that trap, as well as I am hope others do not either. I also know I will not change my message because of some who have deserted me. Although I know people do not want to hear it, I will continue no matter the result.