Friday, March 6, 2026
Scripture Readings
- Primary Reading: 1 Timothy 6, 2 Timothy 1
Devotional Thought
Paul’s final letters to Timothy are written by a man who knows his earthly life is nearly over, and yet his concern is not for himself but for the young pastor he is leaving behind. In 1 Timothy 6, Paul warns Timothy about the love of money, the root of all kinds of evil, and urges him to flee these things and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and meekness. He charges him to fight the good fight of faith and to lay hold on eternal life. Then in 2 Timothy 1, Paul reminds Timothy of the genuine faith that dwelt first in his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice, and he stirs up the gift of God within him, reminding him that God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. These are not abstract theological treatises; they are the dying words of a spiritual father to a spiritual son, written from a Roman prison, likely in the cold months before Paul’s execution under Nero.
As we enter March, the season of Lent is upon us—a time of reflection, repentance, and preparation. The days are lengthening, but the chill of winter still lingers, much like the shadow of persecution that hung over the early church. Paul’s words to Timothy are especially fitting for this season because they call us to examine what we truly treasure. Do we love money, comfort, and safety more than we love Christ? Do we shrink back in fear when the gospel is unpopular, or do we stir up the gift of God within us? Lent is not about punishing ourselves; it is about reordering our loves. Paul tells Timothy to flee from the love of money and to pursue godliness with contentment, which is great gain. That is a Lenten discipline: to let go of what numbs us and to take hold of what gives life.
Paul also reminds Timothy of his heritage of faith. Lois and Eunice are named—real women who passed down a living faith to a real young man. This is a comfort to anyone who has been shaped by the quiet faithfulness of a parent or grandparent, and a challenge to those of us who are called to pass on that faith to the next generation. Timothy was not raised in a Christian home from birth; his father was Greek, and he came to faith through the witness of his mother and grandmother. God uses ordinary households to raise up faithful servants. In this season, we might ask: who is watching our lives? Who is learning from our example?
Finally, Paul tells Timothy to stir up the gift of God. The Greek word suggests rekindling a fire that has died down to embers. Fear can smother faith. But God has given us power, love, and a sound mind. As we walk through these weeks before Easter, we are invited to rekindle the flame of our devotion, not through our own strength, but through the Spirit who dwells in us. Paul, writing from prison, knew that his time was short, but he also knew that the gospel was not chained. He passed the torch to Timothy, and Timothy passed it to others. That same torch is handed to us today.
Reflection
- Paul names Lois and Eunice as vessels of genuine faith. Who in your life has passed down faith to you, and how are you passing it on to someone else?
- Paul tells Timothy to flee the love of money and pursue godliness with contentment. What in your life is competing for your affection, and what would it look like this week to rekindle the gift of God within you?
Prayer
Father, we thank You for the faithful witness of those who have gone before us, like Lois and Eunice, who raised Timothy in the faith. Stir up the gift within us, we pray. Forgive us for the times we have loved comfort or security more than we love You. In this season of Lent, help us to flee from the love of money and to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and meekness. Give us power, love, and a sound mind, not fear. May we fight the good fight of faith and lay hold on eternal life, until the day we see You face to face. In Jesus’ name, Amen.