A Lifesaving Print (2 Timothy 4:13)

A Sri Lankan newspaper, the Mawbima, recently did a huge favor for its reading public. It published a special edition of its paper with citronella in its ink. Citronella acts as a natural insect repellant. Sri Lanka is often ravaged by outbreaks of Dengue fever, a mosquito borne viral illness. By distributing the paper at morning and evening, the peak times of mosquito transmission, it is estimated that thousands of lives may have been saved. The public eagerly welcomed this special edition, increasing sales by 30% to 300,000 copies. And why not? The very print of the newspaper were lifesaving!

Bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas when you come — and the books, especially the parchments.
2 Timothy 4:13

When the Apostle Paul wrote this letter to Timothy, he knew the end of his life was drawing near. He was in prison and many of his former supporters had deserted him. But there was no sign or hint of defeat or weariness in Paul. He had fought the good fight and was steadfast in his love for Jesus Christ. In spite of his hardships, Paul asked for only two material things, a cloak and the books and parchments. The cloak was for bodily comfort and the books and parchments, the Scriptures, were for spiritual comfort. For Paul, the words of the Scriptures were life saving. And in these last days, he could remain confident that God’s Word which had instructed him, persuaded him, and sustained him for so many years, would now comfort him as he entered into the presence of Jesus Christ.

The words of the Bible are lifesaving. Unlike the newspaper, it is not a one time read or temporary fix. It is living and active and will lead you directly to Jesus Christ. It is up to you to accept the words of the Bible as lifesaving. To do so, you must accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, for their is no other name under Heaven or on earth by whom we can be saved.

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.