“What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.” (2 Timothy 1:13-14) How have you engaged in Jesus most meaningfully since your relationship first started? Paul, in the verse shared above, is encouraging Timothy to continue in his relationship with Jesus and to not stop at simply having a grace encounter. It is my hope that every one of us has had a grace encounter with Jesus; where we have realized we are in need of a Savior and that through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus we can each receive forgiveness, freedom, and fullness of life. Although an encounter with Jesus is essential and critical, it is not the only aspect to a full experience with Jesus in this life. We all must engage with Jesus. The way Paul explains it to Timothy is that we all need to hold tight to the ways of
Jesus every day. If Jesus is good enough to wash away our sins, He needs to be good enough to walk with every day. Ask yourself today: Is my relationship with Jesus perfect? (Don’t fool yourself!) Is it making progress? (My hope for you.) Or is it passive or even pathetic? Today, I encourage you to take time and engage on a deeper level with Jesus. Stay Close To Jesus – Pastor Bryce
