DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- A GOOD EPITHET

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – A GOOD EPITHET

"For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." (I Timothy 4:6-7)

Paul was coming to the end of his life and ministry. He was ready to be sacrificed – poured out as a drink offering. This drink offering is an allusion to the offerings made in the Old Testament Covenant. The drink offering is mentioned many times in Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers. God gave instructions that every day, there were to be sacrifices made in the morning and in the evening of a lamb and a drink offering. "One lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight. With the one lamb shall be one-tenth of an ephah of flour mixed with one-fourth of a hin of pressed oil, and one fourth of a hin of wine as a drink offering. And the other lamb you shall offer at twilight; and you shall offer with it a grain offering and the drink offering, as in the morning, for a sweet aroma, an offering made by fire to the LORD" (Exodus 29:39-41)"

Paul was coming to the twilight of his life when he would be poured out as a sacrifice – a sweet aroma to the Lord. As he looked back over his life and was finishing his race, he could say that he had been faithful to the calling that God had placed on his life. He had run the race, he had fought a good fight, and he had kept the faith.

His confidence is stated in verse 8: "Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing." Notice that he includes you and me in this promise – to all who love His appearing.

Not to be morbid, but I would desire that when my time of departure comes, that I could also say that I had fought a good fight and had kept the faith, and that I could also say that there is a crown of righteousness waiting for me in heaven. This would not just be a good epithet on a grave marker. It would be a good summary of a life lived for the Lord Jesus.

Love, Dad