Rescued from Evil, Saved for Good

The Lord will rescue me from every evil and save me for his heavenly kingdom. (II Timothy 4:18)

II Tim. 4:6-8, 11-18; Ps. 34:4-7; Jere. 1:8; Rom. 8:37, 38, 12:21; I Cor. 10:13

What Is God Saying?

I once walked through Lenin's Tomb in Moscow's Red Square. I was cautioned not to talk. One is reprimanded by ever-watchful guards for even whispering. How much more should there be quiet reverence and a holy hush in the presence of Paul, this great soldier of faith as he shared his last thoughts with his son in the faith? These are intimate and tender words, spoken with loving earnestness. They should be heard and heeded, for they speak to us as well as to Timothy. They are Paul's last words.

Famous last words! We have read many and most of them echo the quality of life that the one near death had when all was normal. As Paul was ‘more than a conqueror’ (through Christ, Rom:8:37) when he wrote to them; now, confined in a Roman prison, he is still ‘more than a conqueror.’ He was lonely, forsaken by friends, and urged Timothy to ‘come before winter.’ But to the end (II Tim. 4:6), he believed the Lord would stand beside him and that He would stand between him and every evil. By the grace of the living Christ, he would be saved for His heavenly kingdom.

How Does This Apply To Us?

This is the joyful and calm assurance that Christians may have in the prime of life, in the heat of the battle, when all goes right or when all goes wrong, at the start of the race and to the end of the race. God in Christ will rescue us from every evil and for every good in His heavenly kingdom. Here are two sides of a golden coin lifted out of the treasure chest of Scripture. One side reads, rescued from evil. The other side of the same com reads, saved for good. We are not only rescued from going the wrong way. We are saved to go in the right way. ‘Do not be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good.’ God, in the ever-present Holy Spirit, helps us also to ‘accentuate the positive’ (Rom. 12:21). God does it all!

Pray With Me

Lord, I want to have more of the faith of Paul, the veteran soldier. He trusted that he would be rescued from every evil and saved for Your heavenly kingdom. Let me know with deep and quiet assurance that I am being rescued from every evil and that I am being saved for Your heavenly kingdom. Let this confidence in the saving and keeping power of Jesus Christ become the hallmark of my life. May it be heard in my speaking. May it shine in my face. May it be seen in my conduct, and when any thoughts arise to call this into question, let Your Holy Spirit take control and cleanse me from all fear and doubt.

In Your mercy, dear Lord, expel these thoughts forever, any doubt concerning my complete deliverance and salvation, any fear that there may be one evil, one adversary, one ever-present weakness from which You cannot rescue, any sense of loss or loneliness as I turn from the love of darkness to the fellowship of light. I thank You, Lord, that I am not only rescued from evil but I am also saved for good. Make my life count now, not only in evil resisted but in good accomplished. As I am rescued from every evil, may I be saved for everything good. I would be a part of Your heavenly kingdom now. Being rescued from every evil that makes this earth unheavenly, I would do all in my power, all in Your power, to see that heavenly love and heavenly peace may touch the lives of those who want to be, but despair of being, rescued from evil.

In the name of Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. Amen.

Moving On In The Life of Prayer

Prayer is facing the problem. If it is caused by our sin or neglect, we confess and repent. If it comes to us uninvited and is quite beyond our control, trust that the Lord, to whom you are praying, will ‘rescue you from every evil.’ This sustained Paul as he faced death. Let it sustain us as we face life. Having dealt with the worst, we can believe in the best. Our true destination is the heavenly kingdom. The greatest purpose of prayer is to keep us turned from the darkness of evil and to the light of God's love.