Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. (2 Timothy 4:2, NLT)
I was a young wife and an overnight guest of a military couple when the call came in the middle of the night. The husband of my close friend was part of a unit that was being mobilized because of a situation half a world away. I watched an amazing calm settle on them. There was no arguing or complaining on her part, no hesitation on his. They did what had to be done.
She pulled his bag from the closet downstairs. He checked the inventory. They invited me to pray with them—for his safety and for hers—and he was gone.
Susan and I sat drinking coffee in the predawn hours. Her mood was subdued, but not depressed. I worked up the courage to ask the question burning in my heart. “How do you do it? How do you live like this?” I couldn’t imagine taking this kind of phone call so calmly.
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She played with the handle of her mug before she opened her Bible to the verse noted above. “I’ve taken this and used it as a pattern. Matt and I may not be preaching in a typical sense, but our lives proclaim our faith without words.” A smile tugged at her lips. “We’re not promised that life will be convenient, but we’ve learned that God equips us to handle what comes—even if we aren’t aware of the provision until it’s needed.”
Her words stayed with me through the years. Then came the time when our son joined the ranks of the military. I watched as God’s word once again came to life—this time for me and my son. The timeless perfection of God’s wisdom is always there, always available and always relevant.
