“Bridging the gap”
By Rev. Michael Stonhouse
Meditation – Saturday, February 26, 2022
2 Timothy 1:1-14 (Forward, p. 28) CEV p. 1249
The apostle Paul is in prison and so he is unable to be with his dear friend and fellow worker Timothy, whom he describes as being like a son to him. Paul is concerned about him because of the tremendous pressure and onslaughts that Timothy is experiencing, and would, if he could, be there to help him and encourage him. But, alas, he is unable to do that, and so this letter will have to ‘do the trick.’
So notice what Paul’s watchwords are. First off, he speaks of two sides of the same coin. Timothy has been called, commissioned and ordained for a particular role and responsibility. In light of the pressures and persecution, it would be easy then to shirk it and even to be ashamed of it. And even more so, because his friend and mentor, Paul, is in prison for serving God and preaching His word. Paul reminds Timothy that he has been entrusted with a great and wonderful treasure. God has put His trust in him and so he needs to remain faithful to that trust. That may sound like a heavy burden and an onerous responsibility, but Paul assures Timothy that he is not alone in this. He has the help of the Holy Spirit whom lives within him. Indeed, that self-same Holy Spirit gives us power, love and self-control. ‘So, buck up,’ Paul is saying in this letter to Timothy, ‘you can do it.’ And, he says the same thing to us. We may not be called to preach per se, but we are endowed, entrusted, with that same wonderful treasure, and are likewise called to live it out in our lives as best we can. He wants us to know this and live it. Amen.
Forward notes: “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you” (verse 5).
“There’s a popular saying among Christian educators: ‘Faith is caught, not taught.’ You can send children to Sunday school and teach them all you want about the Christian faith, but at the end of the day, children imitate the adults they admire most. If they see their trusted elders praying, attending church, and leading lives of generosity, they will want to do those things too.
“I love the way that this letter to Timothy begins by honouring his mentors in the faith: his mother and grandmother, who surely told him stories about Jesus and taught him how to pray. Even in adulthood, we need mentors to help guide our spiritual lives and teach us new ways to sense the presence of God.”
MOVING FORWARD: “Who has been an important mentor to you in your own journey of faith? How can you find ways to become a mentor and inspiration to others?”
