Advent Devotions

Today’s devotion is by Prince of Peace member Bob Reichman.

2 Timothy 3:14-4:8, 16-18

I can’t recall how old I was, but I must have been pretty young because although I was allowed to cross the suburban street my house was on I was not allowed to cross the street a block away. But a friend of mine and I decided one time that it was worth the risk in order to spy on some older kids. I have no recollection of who that friend was, though it was probably the one who was always trying to talk me into breaking the rules. Kind of like Beaver Cleaver’s friends, Whitey, Gilbert and Larry, on “Leave it to Beaver.” “The Beav” was a good kid, but pretty easy to talk into mischief. I wasn’t nearly as vulnerable to persuasion, but once in a while I let my defenses down.

My friend and I weren’t exactly professional spies, so before long the older kids figured out what we were doing, and unbeknownst to us — again, we were not very good at this – a couple of them crept up behind us and dragged us into one’s back yard. There they tied together our hands and feet with what I remember – probably incorrectly — as thick rope. We were scared to death, and I remember that I was crying. I don’t know how long we were there while they taunted and laughed at us, but at some point, out of nowhere, my dad came storming around the corner of the house.

Without a word to us or our tormentors, he broke our bonds with his bare hands, took each of us by the arm and marched us out of there. My assumption is that we were punished for breaking the rules and maybe the older kids got into some sort of trouble, but all I remember is feeling that my dad was a hero for rescuing us.

In 2 Timothy 4:16-18, the author says: But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and save me for his heavenly kingdom.

I’ve never thought of my dad’s heroic efforts as saving me for the purpose of spreading the message of God’s all-encompassing love, but I did feel that come hell, high water or neighborhood bullies he would always have my back. That gave me a great feeling of security, even though I was aware that he couldn’t protect me from everything that life could throw at me. Likewise, I know that God can’t protect me from all the dangers I might encounter. But as with my dad, I’m confident God will always be there for me and give me strength.

And God isn’t just there when our hands and feet are bound, God is there when we are joyful, anxious, bored or everything is humming along smoothly. God never stops loving, and it is up to us to do the same.

Prayer
God, sometimes others bind our hands and feet, sometimes we bind our own, and sometimes life just makes us feel twisted up like a pretzel, but you are always there for us, giving us strength and suggesting ways to free ourselves to spread your love throughout creation.