“Preach the Word; be prepared in and out of season…”
2 Timothy 4:2
As the Apostle Paul was approaching the time of his death, he wrote to his young protege’ Timothy. He gave Timothy a charge to continue on in the work of spreading the gospel. Paul told Timothy to be prepared at all times.
Timothy may have be placed in difficult or unplanned circumstances during his ministry. He may have been called upon to preach on the spur of the moment or maybe he was asked to explain some scripture without having a chance to study it first. He may have even been sick or tired at times or had something else he wanted to do that day. Yet, Paul told him to always be prepared to share the gospel.
Sometimes we may feel that we are not prepared to teach a Sunday School class, lead a Bible study, or witness to others. Maybe we’re tired or not feeling well. or maybe we have a hundred other things going on in our lives. But the same charge that Paul gave to Timothy is given to us too. We must always be ready and willing to share the gospel with others.
We can and must prepare to be God’s light by studying His Word, by praying for His guidance and by letting the Holy Spirit lead us. Then whatever the situation we find ourselves in we will be prepared “in and out of season”.