Why Exartidzo?
The apostle Paul wrote to Timothy in II Timothy 3:16 that “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
When the above verse was written, the reader would have been familiar with the simple boats that dotted
the shoreline along the Mediterranean. They weren’t designed to go very far and certainly wouldn’t survive a storm at sea. They were also familiar with other boats, fully equipped with sails, rudders, and anchors. Provisioned for long-distance sailing and for surviving the worst of storms.
With this in mind, the Greek word exartidzo pictures a simple boat whose owner chooses to outfit and equip that ship with gear. As a result, a once-simple boat becomes completely equipped and fully supplied, allowing it to sail through rough waters, travel long distances, and survive even the worst of storms.
We are living in a season of ever-increasing storms. Like it or not, times have become turbulent, the waves are getting higher, and we must be adequately equipped for these times. Those who are “equipped” are the ones who will successfully make it through the storms of life. This appeal challenged the early Church to survive the storms they faced and remains an inspiration for us to do the same today.
