April 17
________________________________________
THE SPIRIT OF POWER, LOVE AND DISCIPLINE
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life in Christ Jesus,2 To Timothy, my beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.3 I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day, 4 longing to see you, even as I recall your tears, so that I may be filled with joy. 5For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelled in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well. 6 For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.
– 2 TIMOTHY 1:1-7
________________________________________
The ESV bible’s introduction to this book says that Paul wrote this second letter to Timothy during his second imprisonment in Rome, shortly before his death. This imprisonment was after the one recorded in Acts 28. He probably wrote it in A.D. 64–65, though some would place it as late as 67.
In this letter, Paul once again declares his love and longing for his spiritual son, Timothy. He always starts his salutation with the greetings of grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. How often do we write or approach someone with this kind of greeting? We live in a world that doesn’t bring Christ’s grace, peace and mercy wherever they go or whoever they connect with. In verses 3-4, we hear Paul’s love and longing to be with Timothy and how he often thought of him. It must have been difficult to be unable to fellowship with people who have worked with him for years to bring the gospel to the different places they planted churches. Once again, we witness Paul’s selflessness in verses 5-7. Despite the suffering he is going through in prison and the lack of fellowship with his co-workers, we never hear a word of complaint or anything focusing on his circumstances. Instead, he encourages Timothy to focus on his faith that was instilled in him because of his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice’s prayers and faith in God. We can definitely benefit listening to verse 7 as Paul reminds Timothy that fear or timidity is something that God has not given us. Instead, he rekindles his faith by telling him that God created us out of love, power and discipline. When we entertain fear and shyness, we are not operating in God’s gift of love, power and discipline.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Why is it so easy to be fearful and shy instead of be loving and be disciplined?