Itching Ears

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Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:3-5 (NIV)

3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

Devotion:

            In this scripture, Paul is writing to his young disciple Timothy. Paul wants to encourage the young man to continue to be on fire for the Lord. Paul knows he is at the end of his life. His time as a prisoner of Emperor Nero in Rome is nearing its conclusion. So, he wants to warn Timothy of the obstacles that Paul knows this young man will face as he ministers to the people around him. However, it is not a big step to apply this teaching to our lives today. There is much we can learn from Paul’s words to the young Timothy.

            In our day, as well as in Timothy and Paul’s day, people are leaving the true Christman faith to chase after false teachings. The sound doctrine Paul speaks of here is the simple gospel message. That is: We were fallen in a state of sin, God sent his son Jesus to rescue us. Jesus died on the cross to save us from our sin, This Jesus has been raised and glorified and sits at God’s right hand in the heavenly realm. Following Jesus in a life of discipline and self-control takes more effort than some are willing to give, however.

            Timothy will have to suffer for the faith just as Paul did. Paul wants his young protégé to hold his head up and speak to those who abuse him. Timothy is to be an evangelist. He is to continue the work that Paul has started. Paul knows that Timothy will encounter all kinds of suffering and abuse for the name of Christ. Timothy is to be a faithful worker just as Paul was. Even so, we are called to this same work. This world needs the gospel now more than ever. Fallen humans beget fallen humans, but the redeemed of the Lord beget children for God.

            Let us begin to pray to the Lord for the welfare of our world and for His Holy Spirit to lead us in the ways peace and blessing.

Prayer:

            Lord hear our prayer and grant us your Holy Spirit to dwell in us and fill us with the gospel of peace for the world. Keep us in your word that we may not stray from the teaching of scripture. Help us to be the kind of people who always encourage one another until the return of Jesus. We pray that Jesus may return soon as we are weary from the fight against the forces of sin and death. Amen.

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