‘For His Heavenly Kingdom’

‘For His Heavenly Kingdom’

Even to your old age, I am He, And even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; Even I will carry, and will deliver you.

…and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom…. 

Isaiah 46:4 & II Timothy 4:18b

We want to carry our discussion of God’s preservation of us one step farther. As Paul neared the end of his earthly journey, he looked across the rolling river of death with peace and equanimity. The last chapter of 2 Timothy is Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, ‘Closing up shop,’ and preparing to take his final earthly steps. As he does, he sees both the immediate and the long-term future with a clear eye. In the first portion of our text, to which we will only make passing reference, Paul says of his immediate future, ‘And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work….’ Paul was in Mamertine Prison when he wrote this, and would shortly face the executioner’s sword. That executioner would promote him into the Presence of Christ. Paul goes on to say, ‘and preserve me for His Heavenly kingdom.’ This harks back to our text for the past few days. Christ promises to preserve us all the way to our ‘old age,’ and to add the text for today, all the way to ‘His heavenly kingdom.’ If the end is good, then everything in between is tolerable. Hardships are hard, but they are temporary. God saves the best for last. Wherever you are today, dear reader, realize that if Christ is yours, and you are His forever, He will ‘preserve’ you ‘for His Heavenly Kingdom.’ Rest today in this ‘blessed assurance.’

Our most Holy and Wise God,
we praise You, that You see the end from the beginning.
We rejoice that You order and arrange all of our circumstances
to bring us to the end that You have ordained for us,
to the praise of Your Glory.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning