Thursday, October 22

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2015

Jeremiah 39:1–41:18

2 Timothy 1:1–18

Psalm 90:1–91:16

Proverbs 26:1,2

 

 

“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:7)

 

“That is why I am suffering as I am.  Yet I am not ashamed because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.” (2 Timothy 2:12)

 

 

Despite our assumptions to the contrary, everyone struggles with insecurity and shame.  While we certainly cannot pinpoint the source of this insecurity for every person, it does seem that many people struggle nonetheless.  This insecurity and shame seem to emerge from concerns about the value of our being (shame) or our doing (guilt).  We may seek to hide our insecurities through becoming bold or outspoken, but this behavior really acts as a front to hide the true emotions underneath.

 

Although God created us “fearfully and wonderfully” in His image, we struggle to embrace this reality in our daily lives.  God has tuned our hearts to feel genuine remorse over sin, which does separate us from Him.  Yet, shame represents a conscious or unconscious preoccupation over our imperfections.  For those who have trusted Christ for salvation, God has effectively redeemed us and called us His own.  While our imperfections do remain, God views us through the lens of Christ’s righteousness.  We are similarly declared righteous through our connection with Christ.  Since the blood of Christ has canceled our sin, we no longer stand condemned before God.  The redemption has set us free to live for God and to enjoy His presence in our lives.

 

Even with this knowledge, however, we wrestle with shame.  The Evil One wars against us, lumping in His accusations with the “worldly sorrow” that brings “death.” (2 Corinthians 7:10)  These accusations may neutralize us in our commitment to loving and serving God, causing us self-doubt and challenges to our faith.  Or, we may reflect on our relative smallness and wonder about God’s love.  These thoughts might even start from a place of humility, but they end in a false humility, an abasement of God’s good creation in us.

 

With Paul, we must remind others (and ourselves) of the truths related to our identity.  As Paul writes to Timothy, we should not carry a “spirit of timidity”; rather, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we enjoy a “spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.”  Our identity has become wrapped in Christ, transforming us into God’s servants and made competent to serve as His ambassadors.

 

Paul then demonstrates that, despite the strong opposition he faces, he stands unashamed, echoing Romans 1:16:  “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes:  first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.”  We may banish shame because of our connection to the Gospel.  We have become free:  to experience the Father-love of God and to participate with Him in His Kingdom purposes.

 

Let’s rejoice in this truth!  This song may give you some reflection material to bring about this joy:  “Good, Good Father.” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djrY_eFDOwE)

 

 

Lord God, thank You for rescuing us from shame and guilt through sending Your Son to suffer in our place and to pay the penalty that we rightly deserved.  Thank You for allowing us to approach Your throne of grace with confidence.  Give us richly of Your Holy Spirit so that we might experience the spirit of power, love, and self-discipline.  Help us to honor You through our trust in Your promises and through our obedience to Your commands.  In Jesus’s Name, amen.

 

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