Eliza King sings, ‘Christ Abides’. Can you make the words of this song your own today?

In the crowded thoughts, You are an open space

And I hear Your voice, calling me to come away

Where the eagles fly, You're raising me high with You

To heavenly places, heavenly places

I have the mind of Christ

My portion is His perfect peace

For Christ abides with me

I'll seek You, Lord, and here in Your shadow hide

I won't dread the day, nor fear the terror of the night

Though thousands fall, I've been seated all along

In heavenly places, in heavenly places

I'm with you in heavenly places, in heavenly places

I have the mind of Christ

My portion is His perfect peace

For Christ abides with me

He's closer than a friend

He takes the weary by the hand

And says, "Come abide with me"

"Come abide with me

For my yoke is easy and my burden light

I will raise you up like an eagle into flight

You will not grow weary nor will you be faint

In your every weakness, I will be your strength"

I have the mind of Christ

My portion is His perfect peace

For Christ abides with me

He's closer than a friend

He takes the weary by the hand

And says, "Come abide with me"

Today’s reading is from Saint Paul’s Second Letter to Timothy.

2 Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14

For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.

Do not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God,

Hold to the standard of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Guard the good treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us.

Today’s reading portrays St. Paul talking to his disciple Timothy and the faith community under his leadership. He speaks of how the gifts of the Spirit can be handed on from one generation of believers to another. What gifts have you received from those who went before you?

Paul is presented as relying on the power of God’s Spirit living within him. Do you have a sense of the power of God’s Spirit within you? How would you describe that within your lived experience?

As you listen once more to these words about reliance on divine power, and on the ‘good treasure’ of sound teaching, take time to reflect on what these treasures have brought to your life and that of your faith community.

2 Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14

For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.

Do not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God,

Hold to the standard of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Guard the good treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us.

The author talks about cowardice and shame, contrasting them with trust in God even when suffering for the Gospel. What do you want to say to Jesus in response to these words?

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be

World without end

Amen