In a moving letter, Paul asked Timothy to come to him before the Romans executed him. The requests for the cloak and the scrolls, “especially the parchments,” show Paul’s human frailty and his resolve to keep learning and growing right to the end. We don’t know if Timothy made it—but we know Paul’s unsinkable faith still inspires Christians around the world. As scholar N. T. Wright said, “The picture we get, as we take leave of this intimate and personal letter, is of a man facing serious trouble and likely death, beset with problems and anxieties, but who nevertheless remains determined to bring every single aspect of his life into the orbit of the gospel itself, the royal proclamation of Jesus as Lord. He lives in the present world, Caesar’s world, as already a cheerful citizen of the world to come, Jesus’ world.”

• You may feel as though you have only a few years left to serve God in this life, or you may have reason to look forward to many decades of faithful service. Is the present course of your life such that you are confident that, when it ends, you will be able to say, “I have fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith”? If not, what “mid-course corrections” do you want to make so that Paul’s words can also become your personal testimony?