Fighting the good fight

https://odb.org/2026/08/21/faithful

2 Timothy 4:1–8 (NIV): In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.
6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store 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 longed for his appearing.

On a Thursday, in the church’s fellowship hall, sandwiches and watermelon slices were set out, waiting to be consumed by mourners sitting on metal folding chairs placed on stained carpet. It was a perfectly normal funeral, except for the preacher. He was a well-known speaker who has preached to stadiums full of thousands. Now he was speaking just as enthusiastically to this weekday gathering.

Paul told his protégé Timothy, “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season . . . . discharge all the duties of your ministry” (2 Timothy 4:2-5). All the duties. Not only the big ones performed on large stages with bright lights. Also ordinary, weekday duties. The speeches that won’t be recorded and broadcast for generations to come. The tasks that few will see. Do those well too. (Mike Wittmer, Our Daily Bread 21st August 2026)

I believe every single one of us believers aspire to say what Paul said in 2 Timothy 4:7 – I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Not back in the day or some parts of our life but until the very end – we have remained true to the faith. We have been steadfast to His calling, faithfully following Him day in day out until our dying breath. Not sporadically but regularly. The race is a marathon but it is for us to run. Not against our parents or spouse or children or friends, not even against ourselves but against the plans and purposes Jesus has placed in our hearts. Have we been faithfully doing the things He called us to?

That is why if your thing is to preach or evangelize, you do it as fervently in front of thousands in stadiums as on a weekday meeting in front of a few. If you’re an itinerant speaker, speak with as much vigour and conviction in a mega church as in a small congregation of tens of people. No one is ordinary, no one is insignificant in the eyes of God. Remember Jesus will drop everything else to go find that one lost sheep. No such thing as the most efficient use of your time but always a question of fulfilling your calling all the time!

This morning as we end this work week, just remember that our journey of faith is still a long one to go. If we have failed to correct ourselves in some aspects, continue to do so. There are many more miles of walking to go. Keep on walking and keep our eyes on our Saviour.

Don’t get distracted by the affairs of the world and life as like Jesus said before, the poor will always be there but He is only with us here on earth for a time. Issues of life will always be there but our walk here on earth is finite. One day our life on earth will come to an end, and we will no longer be part of the living. Focus on what’s eternal, the unseen. Keep on fighting the good faith so we may finish the race and move on to 2 Timothy 4:8 Now there is in store 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 longed for his appearing.

Have a good weekend, everyone!