August 27, 2026
Hey guys,
This week’s Thought comes from the second part of 2 Timothy 2:22. There, Paul says, “Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.”Honestly, I have always paid so much attention to the first part of verse 22 that I've never noticed the last sentence. In the first part of verse 22, Paul tells Timothy, "Don't just flee youthful lusts but pursue righteousness.” I've taught that and counseled people through that many times. If all we do is run away from temptation and we're not intentionally pursuing something else, we're going to eventually end up back where we started. The only way to make continuous progress away from sin is to intentionally pursue the things of Jesus.
In the last sentence of verse 22, Paul refers to the Body of Christ — those who call on the Lord with pure hearts — the “Big C Church”. But He’s also referring to your “Little c church,” your local church. Paul tells us to enjoy the companionship of those who are like-minded. It's more than what we read in Hebrews 10, “Don not forsake the fellowship of the brothers.” That can sometimes make us feel like it's just a rule to go to church on Sunday morning — a box to check. We don't really talk about the why very often, but Paul hits it on the head here: “Enjoy the companionship.”
There are two ways to look at this:
There should be a joy that comes from being with like-minded companions as we are focused on the same Kingdom tasks. We CAN have fun doing them!
When I think of a companion, I picture them walking alongside me. You need to have people who can walk through hard times with you. Don't give up the meeting of the brothers and sisters. Why? We need their companionship, and they need ours.
Love you guys,
John