Fighting the Good Fight

2 Tim 4:7 is a verse that is widely used during a funeral. I am not trying to morbid here but there is a reason why I am quoting this verse. I have to state categorically again that as far as God is concerned, I no longer believed in coincident and that in everything God has a plan.

Last Friday, during cell group meeting and bible study on “Encouraging Others”, the reference was from 2 Chronicles 32:1-28 and basically showed how prayer could triumph our enemies. In the context of encouraging others, the study wanted to show where prayer could be used to encourage others.

During the sharing, one of the brothers quoted from 2 Tim 4:7 and on Sunday, the sermon “was” from 2 Timothy 4:7-8.

2 Timothy 4:7-8 (NASB)

⁷ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; ⁸ in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.

I said “was” was because the passage was a mistake and the actual verses meant for the sermon was 1 Timothy 4:7-8

1 Timothy 4:7-8 (NASB)

⁷ But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; ⁸ for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

For this one mistake, it drew me to 2 Timothy 4:7-8 and in 1 Timothy 4:8, it also says “…godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.”

I am currently re-reading the book “The Practice of the Presence of God” where it seem Brother Lawrence (the Author) in one of his letter eschew discipline (reference to 1 Timothy 4:8 Text in blue) when he says “I have ceased all forms of devotion and set prayers except those to which my state requires.” but the passage also adds “I make it my priority to persevere in His holy presence, wherein I maintain a simple attention and a fond regard for God, which I may call an actual presence of God. Or, to put it another way, it is an habitual, silent, and private conversation of the soul with God.” i.e. the pursuit in attaining godliness.

During worship, the worship leader shared publicly and separately to me privately about her mother surviving cancer for 35 years and the preacher spoke about how his father had taken himself off schizophrenia medication and had also since that time survived for 35 years.  Will I get 35 years? I honestly don’t know but I still look forward to the future as I had highlighted in the 2 verses.

I feel that God is telling me to continue to pray and fight good fight as look forward to the future.

In Him We Trust.