2 Timothy 4.9-18
Do your best to come to me quickly, for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. Only
Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry. I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments.
Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he
has done. You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our
message.
At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held
against them. But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the
message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from
the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his
heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 2 Timothy 4.9-18
Most of us are willing to help. If there’s a clear ask, most folks I know will do what it takes to
meet the need. If the church needs a hand with a project or a kid on the team needs a ride, most
of us would see the needs met. Heck, if the house next door was burning down, most folks I
know would ensure that their neighbor was safe and that all their animals were, too. And most
folks I know wouldn’t only be there to help on the day of the fire; they’d continue to walk with
their neighbor as long as it takes. If there’s an ask for help, most of us respond.
The apostle Paul seems to be one of those guys who is willing to help. In my head, he’s not just
willing to help; he’d take the lead. He’d organize, facilitate, correct you when you did something
wrong, and then write you a thank you note after completing the project.
But that’s not what’s happening here. There have been plenty of other times in his ministry when
he’s experienced hardship, but in this letter to Timothy, he vulnerably shares some intense needs.
His soul is not at rest. Listen to the gravity of the pain he’s carrying.
“Come to me quickly...Demas has deserted me.”
“Get Mark and bring him...he is helpful to me.”
“Bring the cloak I left...my scrolls, especially the parchments.”
“Alexander did me a great deal of harm...”
“At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me.”
He’s been deserted by his friend…by everyone.
He’s alone.
He’s cold.
He’s out of supplies.
He’s wounded.
He’s abandoned.
The older, more mature Paul is writing to the younger, less experienced Timothy to ask for help
– mind, body, and soul.
I’ve never seen this side of Paul.
Until I saw this side of me.
When was the last time you asked for meaningful help?
The pastor at this little church we’ve been attending spoke briefly about James 5.16, one of my
favorite passages in Scripture. It says, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for
each other so that you may be healed.” Then he gave us space to confess to one another, to pray
for each other, and to be healed from our sins. Awkward soon moved to courage, then
conversation, confession, and prayer. The aroma of Christ filled the room. We were all lighter,
more free. I think that’s what healing feels like.
Then, the pastor shifted his posture. He softened, becoming ever so tender. He said, “Now, I’d
like to invite you to take another step. I’d like to invite you to confess sins committed against
you by another, to pray for one another, and be healed.” The room was swallowed up in fear.
No one in the room was ready to follow Paul’s lead and ask for that kind of meaningful help.
I nervously scribbled a few notes on my bulletin:
How can I rest if I don’t honor my humanity?
How can I carry another’s burdens while afraid of being a burden?
No wonder rest is elusive…
Then I pulled my chair closer to the guy sitting next to me.
When was the last time you asked for meaningful help?
Questions to Consider:
How do you overcome the temptation of being a burden and ask for meaningful help?
One of the best descriptions of mutuality in relationships is found in St. Ignatius’s Spiritual
Exercises. He says, “It means that I will only know God in entering the life of another and they
in me, exquisitely mutual.” How does mutual healing and soul rest flourish when asking for
help?
Let’s pray as Jesus taught us:
Forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
Matthew 6.12-13
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