In last week’s passage, Paul reflected upon God’s presence and protection during his legal defense. As he considers what God did in that case, he expands his thought to point out a reality of God’s character.

You can see what he’s talking about in 2 Timothy 4:18:

At Paul’s first defense, no one was there to stand by him. Even though Luke was still with him, he may have had other responsibilities at that particular time. Paul longs for Timothy and John Mark to join him soon.

But even though there was no coworker with him, Paul stated that he knew God was there and strengthened him.

From there, he expands into the thought that God’s protection is a continual promise, and not just a one time event that Paul experienced.

Paul fully expects that this imprisonment will lead to his execution. It seems unlikely that this statement means that he believes God will rescue him from prison. That means that he has a larger view in mind, and something greater as an expectation.

Some have suggested that Paul means that he expects God to prevent him from performing evil. But that doesn’t make sense considering his use of the word “rescue.” If this were his intent, why not use the word “strengthen” again?

It seems as if Paul is referring to something more. It seems as if he is confident, expecting that God will enable him to overcome all evil in the end. With his death looming in the foreseeable future, Paul is looking for God to take him home, where he will be secure for eternity. Paul has already expressed his desire to leave this life in order to be with Christ (Philippians 1:23), but will continue to remain steadfast until such a time occurs.

Simply put, if he endures and remains faithful to God, then God will remain faithful to him, and take complete care of him. God will finish what he began in Paul on the Road to Damascus, and bring him to completion in Christ. Man may bring harm to him physically, but they cannot harm his soul.

And then, as Paul does so frequently, he breaks into a spontaneous and brief expression of praise, a doxology, just as he has previously in the letters to Timothy (1 Timothy 1:17; 6:15-16), and elsewhere in his writings (Philippians 4:20).

The principle contained in this brief statement at the end of the letter is packed with promise. If God is as faithful as Paul claims he is, strengthening him in life and delivering him in death, then that is a promise that extends to all who belong to him as well.

It doesn’t matter what this life throws at us. God is in control. And he is in our corner, working continually for our best. That is something that we can depend upon. And that is something that we can find security in.

Question: What do you do to remind yourself of God’s protection? You can leave a comment by clicking here.