II Timothy 1:9 April 12, 2014

Martha Holder       

II Timothy 1: 9                 

April 12, 2014

“[God] who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time.”

We are not supposed to pray in school. However, on any given day, at least two teachers at Southeast Elementary School violate that mandate. I have a friend who routinely says, “Pray for me,” as she leads 25 children down the outside walkway to her modular classroom. (That’s education-speak for a well-worn trailer with limited insulation, broken doors, and a surplus of roaches.) Becky requests prayer, and she prays for others. 

One day in January, I was stressed out about the requirements of my workday. Reports were due, schedules had been changed, classes had been combined to accommodate other activities, and teachers were supposed to remain “business as usual” so the students would not pick up on any tension from their leaders. I commented to my praying friend that I was full of ANGST as I approached the day. She rolled the word around in her mouth and finally said, “What does that mean?” According to Merriam-Webster, ANGST is a strong feeling of being worried or nervous: a feeling of anxiety about your life or situation. Her response was, “Even the word ANGST makes your face scrunch up. It’s just not a pretty word.” She suggested we choose another word as our focus for the day: GRACE. (How did she know the theme of our Lenten Devotionals this year?) Merriam-Webster defines GRACE as "the love and mercy given to us by God because God desires us to have it, not because of anything we have done to earn it.” 2 Timothy 1:9 relates the same thing. God calls us to a holy life because of His own purpose and grace. Even though it was still a hectic day, my friend’s reminder of God’s love and mercy, His GRACE, changed my outlook for the day.