Verse: 2 Timothy 1:3-5
3 I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers.
4 Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy.
5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.
Devotion:
Have you ever experienced mentorship in your Christian walk? Have you ever provided it to someone else? Paul and Timothy represent a beautiful model of this type of relationship. In this passage Paul shows us how we can encourage each other by telling Timothy:
– I am thankful for you – I’m sure Timothy had days, like we all do, where he felt useless, helpless, meaningless. But Paul says to him, you mean something to ME. Let’s not be afraid to tell people what they mean to us; how our lives are made better by knowing them.
– I am praying for you – If you’re like me, you might find it hard sometimes to pray for yourself. Maybe you don’t know what exactly to pray for, when you aren’t sure of what direction you’re meant to take. Or it might even seem selfish. After all, your problems are so trivial compared to the bigger issues other people are facing. Having someone else who is faithfully lifting you up before the Father can help relieve that burden of feeling like you’re the one who has to determine what you need and then convince God to meet those needs.
– You bring me joy – Hopefully, we all have people who bring a smile to our face, just by thinking of them. Who, when we part ways, we start counting the moments until we will see them again. How encouraging to be told you ARE that person to someone else?
– I am convinced of your salvation – This is something that might not normally be talked about, even among Christian friends. But if you’ve ever had a crisis of faith, I hope you had someone alongside you to remind you: “I KNOW who you are. You ARE a child of God. JESUS lives in you. He is with you and so am I.”
Let’s remember that this type of relationship requires both parties. We all need a Paul (or two or three) in our lives. But we also all have someone (or two or three) in our lives who need us to be their Paul. Think of the effect someone else’s encouragement has had on your life, and never underestimate what yours could mean to someone as well.
Prayer:
God, help me to seek, identify, and nurture relationships as both a Paul and a Timothy. To give and receive encouragement, to mentor and to be mentored. Amen.
Author: Dave MacDonald
Recent Comments