LIVING WATERS
For the proclamation of the Gospel and the edification of the Body of Christ
The Freedom of the Word
"Remember Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, raised from the dead according to my gospel, in whom I suffer hardship, even imprisonment as an evildoer; but the word of God is not imprisoned. Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sake, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory" (2 Tim. 2:8-10).
Paul is in prison; the twilight of his life has come. Sufferings are the corollary of it. Then he writes one of his last letters. The addressee is his beloved co-worker Timothy. One thing consoles him in the midst of this apparently desolate panorama: the word of God is not imprisoned. Paul is imprisoned, but the word of God is not imprisoned. And it is duly reaching the elect.
We should note that at this point, his concern and consolation are the elect. Unlike the 1st Epistle, in which he has in mind the salvation of all men (2:4), here Paul's attention is more focused. The times are very bad, he has filled everything with the gospel, but many oppose the faith. In the midst of this panorama, his apostolic gaze is focused on the elect. They are his concern, just like the Lord's at the end of his ministry: "I pray not for the world, but for those you have given me" (Jn. 17:9). He can suffer and endure everything for the sake of the elect.
Perhaps you are a minister of the Word, or someone who loves the Lord and His work. But you have lost your freedom; you are in very strong prisons; crickets bind your hands and feet. He feels limited, confined, sometimes desperate. However, in this you also have your consolation. The word of God is not like this. What He once spoke still spreads like the waves of a troubled lake.
It does not matter that you are today unable to speak. It is the time of prison, of suffering. But know that in Paul's life, prison is synonymous with maturity, revelation and fruitfulness.
Paul's heart and his spiritual vision were truly enlarged when he was in prison. From there he wrote Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians. From there he soared to the greatest spiritual heights. Perhaps God is about to give you your own revelation as well - a deeper understanding of His will and purpose. This is the day of winter, but it is not the end of everything. After winter comes spring. And then you will see the fruit of what is now incubating in your spirit.
The word is not imprisoned - that was Paul's comfort. See how the word flies, that which God gave you at another time, has broken its chains; for it has no prisons, nor the narrowness of the petty heart. Whether it runs through some physical medium, or through people who have been transformed by it, the word runs and is glorified.
Your mouth is closed, and apparently your heart is dry. You may even be considered an "evildoer". But see by the spirit what God is doing. He is never imprisoned, and His work is constantly advancing and growing. God's word is not imprisoned. That was Paul's comfort, and it must be yours too.