“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15 NIV)
Ruby is an Irish Setter. Setters are tall dogs. They have long legs. Ruby’s long legs, at five months of age cause her a great deal of trouble some days. She careens around corners, ending up on her side with four lanky legs flying out in every direction. She leaps from the bed, landing in a tangle of legs. She races across the field tumbling head over heels into the grass. Yet she keeps running and leaping and forging ahead.
Like Ruby, I often feel this way in regards to the handling of God’s word. Whether it is through writing or speaking. Handling the word of God can make us feel clumsy and inadequate. Its truths are unfathomable and seeking to explain the depths of them to others can be a formidable task. Understanding the word and passing it on correctly to others however, is not something we are called to do on our own.
Jesus told us: “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is to come.” (John 16:13 NIV)
The Holy Spirit, hears directly from the Father and His job is to enable and equip God’s people. He reminds us of the truths we already have learned, those that James states are planted within us (See James 1:21 b). He is also able to open our hearts and minds, as we continue to study God’s word, to new depths of truth that we have yet to learn. He also strengthens us, for as Paul wrote: “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13 NIV).
We must therefore, much like Ruby, continue to forge ahead when it comes to passing along the word of truth to others. We may be clumsy as we seek to do so, but as we continue to do our best to present ourselves to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth, through the power of the Holy Spirit at work within us, that is exactly what and who we will become.
Prayer: Father God, thank You for Your word and giving it to us, not only for our own growth and salvation but also to pass it along to others so that they too may come to know You and live the abundant life. May we each seek to forge ahead, even amidst our clumsiness, knowing and trusting that as we do so, Your Holy Spirit will use our attempts to grow and mature us, as well as those we share with. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.
Lynne Phipps
Tawatinaw, Alberta, Canada