DAILY BYTE I would be impressed if the name Demas meant anything to you. Not many people have heard of him. The story of Demas is a sad one though. Paul the Apostle refers to him three times: first, in the book of Philemon where he says, “Demas and Luke, my fellow workers,” (notice how Demas’ name is placed before even Luke’s name here). We next encounter Demas in Colossians where Paul writes, “Luke, the beloved physician and Demas,” (notice how Demas’ name has slipped to second in order). Finally, there is the very sad passage found in 2 Timothy 4.10, “for Demas, in love with the present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica”.
Sadly, good intentions and good beginnings don’t always translate into long-term faithful discipleship.
We see this time and time again in the making of New Year’s resolutions that often don’t get further than the end of January (or in the case of my ‘no eating chocolate’ resolution, no further than January 2nd!)
It is important to not only start our year well but to do so with the aim of finishing off just as strongly as we begin. Demas began his spiritual journey exceptionally well and yet faded long before he reached the finish line.
We need to accept that what happened to Demas could quite easily happen to us, unless we guard against it.
Today’s focus reading vividly portrays how Jesus “finished off” his race for God. We see that in the Garden of Gethsemane he was grieving and suffering greatly. Jesus feared his imminent death and the manner of that death. Yet through all his anxiety and sorrow Jesus was still able to pray, “Lord not my will, but yours be done”. Just a little later on in the Jesus story, shortly before he died, although he had already been beaten and betrayed, spat upon and cursed, hurt and abandoned, Jesus was still able to say, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do”.
Now I don’t know about you, but I would call that finishing well!
The love and mercy of God was powerfully displayed by Jesus during his crucifixion and the moments preceding it.
Think about what you need to put into place to ensure that you not only start this year off well, but also finish it just as strongly.
PRAY AS YOU GO
Lord, help us to humbly accept that we are totally reliant upon your strength in running our race. Give us grace and strength far beyond our own so that we might run our race well, and so that we might one day finish our race just as strongly as we may have begun it. Amen.
FOCUS READING
Matthew 26:36-42 (NIV)
Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me."
Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."
Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?" he asked Peter. "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."
He went away a second time and prayed, "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done."
