I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name. Isaiah 45:3.

Thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be your strength.” Isaiah 30:15 NKJV.

Those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary. Isaiah 40:31 NASB.

Our chapter, 2 Timothy 4, is the last chapter of this epistle. I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing. Make every effort to come to me soon; for Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Pick up Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service. But Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. When you come bring the cloak which I left at Troas with Carpus, and the books, especially the parchments. Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. Be on guard against him yourself, for he vigorously opposed our teaching. At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them. But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was rescued out of the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen. Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. Erastus remained at Corinth, but Trophimus I left sick at Miletus. Make every effort to come before winter. Eubulus greets you, also Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brethren. The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.

In the notes to this letter it said it was probably the last letter Paul wrote before his execution by Nero. The names mentioned may be strange to us but they were known personally to the brethren there. This letter was written almost 2,000 years ago. I couldn’t help but think about all the loved ones we pray for today. Talking with our granddaughter yesterday who said she has not experienced personally the love of Creator God – Father, Son, Spirit; and sees the confusion of belief Christians have, I couldn’t help but realize I, too, am being poured out as I am aging. I remember being so certain at my own 16 years of age. And He helps me realize each life is a blessing. And to trust in Him the journey life brings in all its fullness for me and for them. I cannot bear the weight of worry for outcomes not meant for me to control or resolve. But I can let them go and let them live – and love them always trusting God. Because He loves them deeply. And I realized with deep thanks and joy what our granddaughter will one day come to know and deeply cherish – that Creator God IS, and He Himself will show her. That everything she loves is because He created. She couldn’t understand how Creator God was not Himself created, that He is eternal. And these are the things we wrestle with to understand and it takes a lifetime that 16 years is too short to begin to know. I rejoice that Creator God is eternal because that brings understanding for yesterday when Paul wrote this letter, for today that feels so far removed from that time, for tomorrow when life goes on without me to control. And I realize my life has meaning because He created. So does yours and every grandchild and child dearly loved and living in their time in the great sweep of life God created to be for all eternity with Him with us. I love her questioning heart. And I know one day He will walk with her and help her understand. Paul understood that also for the people he worked so hard to bring to Creator God and His love…that Creator God Himself is working always and will bring to fruition His will and the reason He created all of us and all of this. We will each of us come to the end of our walk in the sweep of finite years we are given now. And Creator God IS. And we are loved. And because He is eternal, with Him always is my prayer for all of us.