2 Timothy 4:9-22.  Paul’s final words written to Timothy are not the words of someone resigned to rest upon his accomplishments.  He knows that he will soon die for his faith, but he will not go quietly.

1. Many of his associates had left him by this time – some out of fear, others he had sent out to recover from illness, or to work elsewhere (9-10, 12, 20).
2. But he was working with Luke, and he asks Timothy to bring Mark, who will also be useful to him for ministry. Perhaps the usefulness of these two men rests in the fact that both of them have been chosen by the Holy Spirit to produce the written scriptures? (11).
3. He wants to use his remaining time studying and writing and speaking to whomever will listen. To that end, he asks Timothy to bring his winter cloak and his books and parchments (13, 21).
4. His objective remains the same to the very last.  He lives to proclaim the gospel message so that all the Gentiles might hear it (17).

None of us know how much time we have left.  As we get older, we do get clear impressions that our time is limited.  These should not lead us to resign ourselves to uselessness.  We should instead resolve to expend every last bit of energy doing the mission for which we were called.

LORD, we “rage against the dying light.”  We “will not go quietly into that good night.”  We resolve to burn brightly until we burn out for you.