Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for your faithfulness. May we remain faithful as you remain faithful to us, and remember the trustworthy saying that your word cannot be chained. Amen.
Reading: 2 Timothy 2:8-15 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: Paul is writing to Timothy from prison. He is literally chained like a criminal as he writes this, yet he maintains his faith and the mission that has been set in his soul. He continues to speak of the gospel, his savior Jesus Christ. Jesus cannot be chained by death, God’s word cannot be chained, and therefore we will be unchained with Christ in our death and resurrection. This is Paul’s encouragement, his “trustworthy saying” to Timothy. I love the way that Paul writes this, phrasing the gospel in a way that is clever and easy to remember. Every once in a while, a leader, a teacher, a pastor, or a friend of mine will share little pieces of advice or sayings that stick with me. When something is short, sweet, and to the point it is easy to carry with you for when you need it. One thing that immediately comes to mind for me is when someone was talking to me about prayer routines and offered this nugget of wisdom: if you have something little you do out of habit, like fiddling with a ring or a watch, change that into something that reminds you to talk to God. I loved that little piece of advice and for me it became my necklace. I often wear little necklaces and when I fiddle with it, it now reminds me to pray! --Anne Harshbarger
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