New Testament Reading Plan: 2 Timothy 1-4
SCRIPTURE READING
1 Tim 2:3-4 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people
to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (ESV)
Ez 33:11 Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the
wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways,
for why will you die, O house of Israel? (ESV)
These verses tell us another thing about God’s love. He takes no pleasure in punishing people.
He doesn’t want to have to punish you. This is very important to understand. God is not trying
to set people up to get punished. He’s not trying to set you up to get punished because He
doesn’t want to have to punish you. He won’t trick people into getting punished. It’s not like He
sets standards that are too high for us, and then when we fail to reach those standards that He
joyfully sets about punishing us . . . No! The Bible is very clear that God desires every person to
be saved and to overcome and to have victory in their life. This is God’s heart towards you. He
doesn’t want you to miss the mark in your life; He doesn’t want you to end up in judgment; His
heart for you is that you would finish your life well and receive the maximum possible reward
from Him on the Day of Judgment. Every time you make good choices; every time you humble
yourself and repent and confess your sins to Him; every time you turn to Him for help and seek
to change your ways and do righteousness; every time you war against the temptations of your
heart and say ‘no’ to the sinful temptations you really want to partake of – GOD DELIGHTS IN
YOU. He loves that! He loves your pursuit of doing right, even when it’s imperfect. He loves your
repentance when you confess your sins and ask for His help to not do them again. He loves your
attempts to be radical about removing sin from your life – even when you occasionally slip up.
PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Thank the Lord for His compassionate heart towards humanity. Praise Him for His desire to
see that all are saved.
2. Confess that we have had a wrong view of God and that we have been judgemental of Him.
3. Ask the Lord to grow our understanding of who He really is.
