2 Timothy 1:1–7 (ESV)
Greeting
1 Paul,
an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus,
2 To Timothy, my beloved child:
Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
Guard the Deposit Entrusted to You
3 I
thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. 4 As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. 5 I
am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. 6 For this reason I remind you to
fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
It is interesting that Timothy’s grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice are mentioned by Paul. I owe a lot to my own grandmother, who raised my dad in the church. She was a woman of faith and
she shared that faith and was influential in my faith. She also passed the faith onto my Dad… who took me to church every Sunday. My brother also has a strong faith that has been passed down from my grandmother. Of course, the Holy
Spirit had a lot to do with it. So, don’t ever underestimate the impact of raising your family in the faith.
I pray: O Lord, help me to raise
my family in the Church and God’s Word. I pray for my children, grandchildren, and future generations… to live in God’s grace, love, and forgiveness. Amen.