for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained.
2Tim. 2:9
Chained — it means to “to chain, shackle, put in fetters, or imprison.”
Paul speaks of his own imprisonment and yet he reflects on his hardship and suffering as being treated like a common criminal. Mostly likely both his hands and feet were chained in some sort of irons. It was probably the worst type of confinement that you can imagine. And yet he burst forth joyfully: “I am suffering as though I were a criminal, but the Word of God is not bound.”
Inspite of circumstances that seem to restrict, bind, or limit us; His promises can never be limited. Isaiah tells us, “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” His word is never chained.
The world seems to be living in “chronic crisis.” Crisis is all around us, in fact it appears to control every one I meet. We must recover Paul’s understanding of the challenges or shall I say the “crisis’s” of our lives. We are called to live in “chronic Christ” not “crisis.”
No matter what Paul faced he is able to rejoice in the fact that even though he sat in chained in a dark, dismal cell, the Word of God was still moving all over Asia Minor and many people were hearing the Gospel.
“Though I am limited in what I am able to do and where I am able to go,” Paul says. “But the promises of God know no limitations. He is still sending His Word and healing people everywhere (Ps. 107:20).
