2 Timothy – Week 2 – Day 4

READ 

2 Timothy 1:16-18 

16 May the Lord show special kindness to Onesiphorus and all his family because he often visited and encouraged me. He was never ashamed of me because I was in chains. 17 When he came to Rome, he searched everywhere until he found me. 18 May the Lord show him special kindness on the day of Christ’s return. And you know very well how helpful he was in Ephesus. 

Little is known about Onesiphorus. Some wonder if he had passed away. What Paul wrote reveals Onesiphorus was courageous in visiting him after searching everywhere in Rome for him. Onesiphorus was not a one-time visitor, he “often visited and encouraged” Paul. He had also been helpful in Ephesus where Timothy was ministering. Paul wanted the Lord to reward Onesiphorus for all he had done. 

REFLECT 

Do you now see why sometimes more details in the Bible are not given? When the recipients knew about the situations mentioned, details were not needed. 

RESPOND 

Talk with a friend how to answer those who want more explanations than the Bible gives. You could ask them how large the Bible would be if God provided all the answers to their questions. You could also remind them of a statement by the late Bible teacher, Warren W. Wiersbe, who said, “Believers live on promises, not on explanations.”