Here be dragons?

Here be dragons?

Bible: 2 Timothy 1 : 6 – 4

Reading

The Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline (V.7).

Legend has it that at the edges of medieval maps (which stopped at the end of the ‘known’ world) there’d be the words, “Here be dragons”— sometimes with pictures of the beasts supposedly hiding there. There’s not much evidence medieval mappers actually wrote these words, but I like to think they could have.

Maybe because “here be dragons” sounds like something I would’ve written—a grim warning that even if I didn’t know exactly what would happen if I walked into the great unknown, it probably wouldn’t be good! But there’s one big problem with my instinct for self-protection and risk-avoidance: it’s the opposite of the bravery I’m called to as a follower of Jesus (2 TIMOTHY 1:7). As Paul explained, in a broken world bravely following Jesus will sometimes be painful (V.8). But as those brought from death to life, who have the Holy Spirit in us (VV.9-10,14), there’s no safer place to be than with Him!

So we can confidently go anywhere He leads. “Of this gospel I was appointed . . . a teacher. That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day” (VV.11-12). To fearfully hide away would be the real danger—far worse than anything we might face following Jesus’ leading into ‘unknown lands’ (VV.6-8,12).

YOU CAN FOLLOW JESUS WHEREVER HE LEADS,

BECAUSE HE’LL HOLD YOU CLOSE.

Youth Edition – Our Daily Bread Ministries