For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

2 Timothy 4:6 – 8

I hear the elder Paul speaking a word of encouragement to Timothy, a much younger disciple.  Paul wrote that his own time to depart from the earth is imminent. He shares with Timothy that he fought the good fight, he finished the race, always moving forward not by his own strength but by faith in Jesus Christ who has become his life.  I have no idea what Timothy thought when he read this letter from Paul for the first time.  I suppose he expected to hear a doleful attitude from Paul. Instead, the past is the past, under the blood of Jesus, the pleasant and unpleasant, the victories and the defeats are now history.

Now a new door opens to move unencumbered into the future.  The past is gone. 

The Jews had a strong belief that God is the judge and that everyone must stand before him as such.  So Paul sees his meeting with God in glory.  He hears not a convicting word of judgement from God but God reaches for the crown that He designed for Paul.  He put on Paul.  Perfect!  What more could a human being desire?

Timothy has his life ahead of him.  He can learn from Paul by examining his life with all its challenges and joys.  While life goes on in Christ, a crown is being prepared for each one who finishes the race, no matter how long it takes or how difficult or pleasant the path.

So, Timothy, join Paul who longs for the day when God is all in all.  And, indecently, he reminds Timothy that God is fashioning a Timothy-sized crown!  It is there for him.