In The Word
Read: 2 Timothy 1
Timothy Charged to Guard His Trust
1 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. 5 For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt 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.
8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, 10 but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, 11 for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher.12 For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day. 13 Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you.
15 You are aware of the fact that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. 16 The Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains; 17 but when he was in Rome, he eagerly searched for me and found me— 18 the Lord grant to him to find mercy from the Lord on that day—and you know very well what services he rendered at Ephesus.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
Paul’s second letter was to encourage Timothy to remain faithful in the midst of hardship, as the church in Ephesus was facing severe persecution and many Christians were abandoning the faith. It’s interesting that Paul wrote this encouraging letter while suffering the hardship of imprisonment; he refused to let his circumstances affect his attitude, commitment to God, or responsibility to lead others. Paul inspired Timothy with this statement, which still speaks to us today: “For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7).
The world offers many things that pull at Christians and can cause us to lose our faith and succumb to fear. All around us are financial difficulties, natural disasters, sinful behavior, wars between nations, hatred between races and people with different ideologies, and even attacks on Christians. But Paul helps us see that God gives us everything we need to triumph over the world. We have been given the power to overcome every challenging situation, temptation, peer pressure, and rejection. We have been given love to serve, have compassion, and care for others, including difficult people and even enemies. The Spirit provides self-discipline, also translated as sound judgment, to make wise decisions, reject ungodly thoughts, and live holy.
In 2 Timothy 1:14, it says, “Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you.” Do not become discouraged or afraid, but allow God’s Spirit to empower you to carry out your God-assigned mission.