Powerful Yet Little-Known

People often point to favorite verses in scripture–those verses that brings a tear to your eyes. These verses are powerful and often live-changing. But we cannot forget those little-known verses. The verses that get little recognition. Here’s a little-referenced verse:

“When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments.”
1 Timothy 4:13

Huh?

What’s so important about this verse? Isn’t this one of those “filler” verses? All excellent questions. But it was in an early-morning study time when I recently read 1 Timothy 4. When I got to verse thirteen, I put my coffee down, closed my eyes, and leaned back into my chair.

If you are scratching your head, thinking “Robin, what’s so special about these words?”, consider this:

All Scripture is God Breathed

We must never forget that the Bible is “God breathed”, meaning all scripture comes from the mouth of God. That fact alone makes all verses powerful. Ponder … it was God’s plan to include this and every other verse to pull us closer to The Father.

Once we see Scripture as it was meant to be seen, we open our heart to God’s plan for us.

Paul’s Focus on Service

“When you come, bring the cloak that I left …” shows us Paul’s attitude towards his young friend. Even while he sat in prison and faced all that prison brings, he was confident in Tyler’s ability and desire to be of service.

“When you come, bring … my scrolls, especially the parchments.”

Scholars surmise that Paul was in a Roman prison when he wrote 1 Timothy. While this letter to Christians presents the most complete list of instructions for church leadership in the entire Bible, it also gives us gems like 1 Timothy 4:13. It shows us not only how to be focused at the task at hand (i.e., living for Christ), but also how to accept instruction from church leadership.

To preform service for others is offering the hand of Christ. In Matthew 25:35-40 Jesus tells of the beauty–or ugliness–surrounded offering, or holding back, service.

Reading scripture is a perfect way to get close to God, but what do you do with those powerful yet little-known, verses? Share on X

So what does this mean to us?

I was ready to cruise past 1 Timothy 4:13, but God paused my heart so I could understand him better. In that pause, I learned a great lesson on service. Maybe he’s trying to do that to you as well. The Bible is filled with powerful yet little-known verses. Let’s do our best to seek them out and see what God is trying to tell us.

What say you?

What do you wonder about?  Are you happy … or are you doing what you never thought you’d do? Do you see consistencies … or are you all over the place? Drop me a line. I’d love to chat.

Struggling to find good in your life? Check out my award-winning book, God’s Best During Your Worst, or check out any of my other books on my Book page.