Remember Dorothy singing "somewhere over the rainbow" in the movie THE WIZARD OF OZ? What if you just realized that you were about to encounter it NOW? All your wishes, all your dreams and every desire you ever had were about to come true!!! Paul realized this was soon to be true in his life and so he writes to his young disciple Timothy...
WEB: II Timothy Chapter 4
[1] I command you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom: [2] preach the word; be urgent in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with all patience and teaching. [3] For the time will come when they will not listen to the sound doctrine, but, having itching ears, will heap up for themselves teachers after their own lusts; [4] and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn aside to fables. [5] But you be sober in all things, suffer hardship, do the work of an evangelist, and fulfill your ministry.
[6] For I am already being offered, and the time of my departure has come. [7] I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith. [8] From now on, there is stored up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day; and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved his appearing.
WEB: II Timothy Chapter 4
[1] I command you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom: [2] preach the word; be urgent in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with all patience and teaching. [3] For the time will come when they will not listen to the sound doctrine, but, having itching ears, will heap up for themselves teachers after their own lusts; [4] and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn aside to fables. [5] But you be sober in all things, suffer hardship, do the work of an evangelist, and fulfill your ministry.
[6] For I am already being offered, and the time of my departure has come. [7] I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith. [8] From now on, there is stored up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day; and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved his appearing.
The book of Second Timothy could be interpreted as a sad epistle; but it is NOT. Paul is rejoicing over the fact that heaven will soon be before him and that he must "wrap up" the things of this world. He is about to encounter the end of one life and the beginning of another and he wants things done "right"!! What do you long for, what would you do, if you knew these things? I don't know about you, but I would be thinking what was past that place Dorothy was singing about and I would be happy. Its like the rainbow in the picture is just for me and that is just the beginning...