Wednesday 3rd January
Read 2 Timothy 1:1-5
“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, in keeping with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,
2 To Timothy, my dear son:
Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
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.” (NIVUK)
Whilst we are saved by faith and not by birth, there is no reason not to thank God for the privileged position in which we may have been raised. Even the conditions in which we are brought into the world can be a source of thanks and praise to God. Both Paul and Timothy have reason to be thankful. Both were raised with a working knowledge of the ancient Scriptures, which find their fulfilment in grace, mercy and peace received from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
Calvin paints the most beautiful word picture of their circumstances, more apposite for Timothy than Paul, but still… He observes that Timothy ‘was reared in his infancy in such a way that he could suck in godliness along with his mother’s milk’! Paul is immensely grateful for that providential circumstance and we too can give thanks if that was our lot also.
