How unceasing is my memory of you in my petitions, night and day longing to see you, remembering your tears, that I may be filled with joy;
Summary: Paul’s words to Timothy provide a glimpse into God’s love for each of us.
Our God is a passionate God and is one who loves us deeply. His apostle, Paul, is also passionate, and he also loves deeply. This is obvious in the words Paul wrote to express his love and concern for Timothy.
In one sense, this is a deeply personal passage. It is so personal that even now, hundreds of years later, it is almost embarrassing to read. Clearly, Paul has a deep affection for Timothy as a son.
In another sense, this passage reflects the way that Jesus feels about each of us, individually.
Do you think I exaggerate?
“Unceasing is my memory…”
“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” (Luke 12:6-7, NIV)
“…of you in my petitions…”
“My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.” (John 17:15)
“…night and day longing to see you, remembering your tears, that I may be filled with joy…”
“I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity.” (John 17:22-23)
There are a lot of distractions in life. It is easy to forget and lose sight of what is important. Friends come and go, family moves away, and it becomes harder to stay in contact.
None of that distracts Paul from his focus on Timothy. He is constantly mindful of the challenges Timothy faces and the work that is always before him. Paul is only human. He can’t be in two places at one time.
But God can.
We can rely on God to look after those we love, just as Paul does when he prays unceasingly for Timothy. Just as Jesus prays for us.
Application: Love as God loves us.
Food for Thought: If God cares deeply for us, why doesn’t he remove all the pain and frustration in our lives?
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Job 23:10 comes to mind.
JEC,
Thanks for the verse!
“But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.”
If God cares deeply for us, why doesn’t he remove all the pain and frustration in our lives?
This is a question that comes up a lot, one I have thought about a lot even prior to today’s meditation. So forgive me for the long answer.
I have two main thoughts on this:
1) The pain and frustration in our lives are a consequence of our fallen state. Pain and frustration are a result of sin; either our own sin, or the sin of others cast upon us. Even if God were to remove all pain and frustration from all of our lives, it would not cause us to walk in godliness. The sinful nature would remain.
God desires a relationship with us rooted in love. He sent His only Son to die for our sins, before we even loved Him, so that we are counted free through Christ’s blood. By this grace, we have been set free, a new creation, reunited with God through Christ, and the pain and frustration of our physical lives can be given to Him to bear spiritual fruit for His Kingdom. So, the “denial” of reprieve from the consequences of sin is not cruelty, it is justice with a caveat. If we give it to Him He will use it for good. Even in pain one can have peace through Christ. But, if we choose to carry the burden, then we must bear the weight.
Romans 5:12
12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—
Romans 5:8
8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
John 16:33
33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
Romans 8:28
28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
2) God’s plan is to redeem us from sin, and deliver us from our sinful nature through sanctification. The consequences of sin here on earth remain. It doesn’t mean that He doesn’t love us, it means that He knows that if He removes the consequences of sin here on Earth that would serve to lead us away from Him. I think this is demonstrated most in the Old Testament with the Israelite Nation. As God blessed them more and more, they reached a tipping point and began worshiping idols, doing evil in the sight of the Lord. As God withdrew His blessing, they repented (albeit, very reluctantly and stubbornly, but eventually). God never “inflicted” pain and frustration “for good measure” or “as a preemptive measure” but rather allowed the consequences of sin to follow it’s course. For those that remained faithful, their reward was a good relationship with God. For those that didn’t, they suffered under the weight of sin. Also, if one reads the Bible carefully, they will notice that God has a special place in His Heart for the widows, orphans, the oppressed, those whose lives have been affected by the sins of others. He calls on His children to help the poor, the oppressed, the widows and orphans, serving Him by serving others. So He hasn’t abandoned anyone, He has called us to help each other in pain and frustration through Christ. This serves to bring both giver and receiver closer to Him.
Deuteronomy 8:11-14
11 “Take care lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today, 12 lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, 13 and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, 14 then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery,
1 Peter 1:6-7
6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:3-4
3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,
James 1:27
27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
Galatians 6:2
2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Wow, Chris!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts this morning!
I like your phrase, “…justice with a caveat.” I may borrow that! 🙂
Many verses already here. Pain and frustration can lead us to God. It can mature is as we persevere. And it reminds us that this world is not our home.
James 1: 2 – 4: Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, a whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Romans 8: 18: I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
Thank you, Rich!
Those are great reasons but the best might be the last one.
If God cares deeply for us, why doesn’t he remove all the pain and frustration in our lives.
He does, however we are free to make choices and our choices often lead to our choosing to return to our old ways which will lead to continued pain and frustrations.
Psalm 103:12, as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
2 Peter 2:22, Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud.”
Thank you, Ron!
That is a powerful perspective.