15 Feb February 15th Weekly Devotional
You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 2 Timothy 2:1-2
Paul is writing to his son in the faith, Timothy. Timothy had been with the apostle Paul for many years, probably since he was a teenager, and Paul had trained Timothy to be an evangelist.
He taught him how to preach. He taught him how to teach. He taught him how to establish churches in the cities that they would mission to. Paul also knew that those churches would never survive, unless faithful men were raised up as teachers and preachers to carry on the doctrine.
Timothy was what one may have considered as the main evangelist at the church at Ephesus. However, it wasn’t meant for just Timothy to do all of the preaching and the teaching. Paul is reminding him that not only is he to train others to preach and teach also, but it has never been meant for just one man to do it in the first place.
This gift, of preaching and teaching, that begins with his faith, that began first with his mother and grandmother, Paul is encouraging Timothy to kindle afresh. 2 Tim 1:6
It is unbelievable to me how encouraging Paul is, seeing as how he is writing this letter to Timothy while buried in a Roman prison, and he will not get out alive, and I believe that he knows that. Still yet, Paul’s heart is with the growth and strengthening of the Lord’s church.
2 Corinthians 11 summarizes many of the hardships that Paul faced while spreading the word, yet despite all of these things, he says in verse 28, his deepest concern is for all the churches.
Whatever life may decide to throw at us, our deepest concern should be the same, the growth and strength of the Lord’s church.
Paul made it his mission to teach and preach the gospel, and to train others up to do the same, so that we could continue in the doctrine, and the fellowship, and the breaking of bread, and the prayers, forever and ever until the Lord decides to call us all home.
So in our busy week, let’s do the best that we can to make time to place our concerns and dedicate our prayer and work to strengthening and growing the Lord’s church.
