2 Timothy 1:1-7
Your Grandmother Lois
Read the passage
1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life in Christ Jesus,
2To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
3I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience as did my forefathers, as I constantly remember you night and day in my prayers.
4Recalling your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy.
5I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am convinced is in you as well.
6For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.
7For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.
Berean Standard Bible
Read aloud
Paul greets Timothy as his beloved child and prays for grace, mercy and peace. Their friendship belongs within the promise of life in Christ Jesus. Paul remembers Timothy continually in prayer and longs to see him again. Timothy's tears have stayed in his memory.
He also remembers Timothy's sincere faith. That faith first lived in his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice, and Paul is convinced it lives in Timothy too. Their names show that the faith of people within a household matters. Timothy's own trust in Christ is real; he is more than the recipient of a family tradition.
Paul tells him to fan into flame the gift God gave through the laying on of Paul's hands. A gift from God still calls for active use and care. The image urges Timothy to give himself to his calling; it does not tell us how far his courage or service may have weakened.
God supplies what that service requires: power, love and self-control rather than fear. Power enables Timothy to act, love directs his service toward others, and self-control keeps courage from becoming recklessness. Paul encourages him through God's gifts and through the affection of someone who knows and prays for him.
How We Know
Acts 16:1–2 describes Timothy as a disciple with a believing Jewish mother and a good reputation among believers in Lystra and Iconium. Second Timothy names his mother Eunice and adds his grandmother Lois. The accounts agree about his mother's faith while supplying different details; neither tells us every step in Timothy's upbringing.
Questions
1 What does Paul remember as he prays for Timothy?
AnswerHe remembers Timothy's tears and sincere faith, and he longs to see him again so that he may be filled with joy.
2 Whom does Paul name in Timothy's family?
AnswerHe names Lois, Timothy's grandmother, and Eunice, his mother. Sincere faith lived in them before it lived in Timothy.
3 What should Timothy do with God's gift?
AnswerHe should fan it into flame, actively using and tending the gift God gave him through the laying on of Paul's hands.
4 What has God supplied for faithful service?
AnswerGod has given power, love and self-control rather than a spirit of fear. Timothy can depend on Him as he serves.
What This Means for Us
Encourage someone whose faith you have watched grow. Name what you see, tell them you are praying for them and support the responsibility God has given them.
If fear is keeping you from a faithful task, bring it to God. Ask for strength to act, love for the people involved and self-control in how you proceed.
Prayer
Father, thank You for those who have helped us know Christ. Sustain their faith and ours. Give us power, love and self-control as we use the gifts You have entrusted to us. Amen.