Lost in the ether

Albert Bogle October 08, 2022 0 2

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2 Timothy 1: 1-14 (NRSVA)

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, for the sake of the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,

2 To Timothy, my beloved child:

Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

3 I am grateful to God—whom I worship with a clear conscience, as my ancestors did—when I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. 4 Recalling your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy. 5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you. 6 For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; 7 for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.

8 Do not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God, 9 who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace. This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, 10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Saviour Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 11 For this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher, 12 and for this reason I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know the one in whom I have put my trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that day what I have entrusted to him. 13 Hold to the standard of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard the good treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us.

The theme When All Seems Lost took on a whole new meaning for me this week. Something really frustrating happened to me while writing the reflections. I had written five days of material and I was looking forward to getting the work completed. Only to find that the material that I had laboured over had not been saved properly.  In other words it had disappeared from my screen. Oh yes I tried all the tricks without avail.

So what do you do when all seems lost? You start all over again. And that is what I have done with these reflections. Now the ones that I lost no doubt were far superior. Is that not how our minds work? The things we’ve lost take on a new value. A new superior kind of identity. So how does this refection tie in with our scripture reading? The answer is verse 14 “Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.” I guess it’s a lesson I’ve had to learn this week. I need to take better care of the spiritual deposits given to me to share with others and to thank God for the many people over the years who have mentored and help me on my faith journey. And above all to have had the faith to start again.

PRAYER:

Lord,

Thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit

Working in all our hearts

Bringing to completion

Your purpose for our lives.

Help us to guard the good

The deposits of faith

Placed within us

Down through the generations

Even that which may have been lost

Grant that it may be found

That others may be enriched in your service.