Today’s devotion comes from 2 Timothy 4:6-8.
“For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; 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.” 2 Timothy 4:6-8.
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I confess that as I began preparation for this devotion, I first focused on the phrase: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith”. Pride started to swell up in me. But, then I came to my senses. I have not yet fought the good fight. I have not yet finished the course. I have not yet kept the faith. I have not yet been poured out as a drink offering. The time of my departure has not yet come.
Do I really even love His appearing? I had not even found Jesus in today’s Scripture when I just about completed today’s devotion.
But, through grace, my Lord gently turned my head toward Himself. I thought: “If I love His appearing, then I should find His appearing. Where is Jesus in today’s Scripture?
There He is! My “Lord, the righteous Judge”!! Verse 8.
As we read Scripture for our devotions, where is Jesus? As we hear preaching and teaching, where is Jesus? As we live out our lives, where is Jesus?
Hebrews 11:6
“And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”.
“And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”.
Therefore, we love Jesus and His appearing and glorify Jesus for Who He is and what He has done. In today’s Scripture, Jesus appears as our “Lord, the righteous Judge” Who “will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.” Verse 8.
We then use Jesus’ appearance as a stepping stone to also meditate on other verses in which our God also shows Himself as “the righteous Judge” Who will reward us. We love and treasure each appearance as a bride loves and treasures each appearance of her husband.
Ruth 2:12
“May the LORD reward your work, and your wages be full from the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to seek refuge.”
“May the LORD reward your work, and your wages be full from the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to seek refuge.”
Hebrews 6:10
“For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.”
“For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.”
2 Timothy 4:8
“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.”
“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.”
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 