2 To Timothy, a true son in the faith:
Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.
Paul brings this greeting (inspired of the Holy Spirit) for a number of reasons. There is nothing more important to us in our lives than our relationship with God. Jesus spent His entire earthly ministry attempting to convey that message to the religious people (who thought THEIR “relationship” existed only because of their righteous works) and to the gentiles (non Jews) alike.
If we’re honest, we often find ourselves “wondering” how things are between us and God. You know, are we “good”? We SAY we walk in faith and believe the best, but we can become so tied to our feelings and emotions that they can over-ride our current status of faith. Maybe we’re struggling with a type of sin, maybe we said something we shouldn’t have, perhaps we judged someone, or acted selfishly, or maybe we even feel that we have been distant from the Lord lately.
If we read into this particular letter (to Timothy) we do see that Timothy has his spiritual hands full. In our lives we can be pulled in many different directions. We can have a lot going on at once, just like Timothy did. We can often find ourselves over-whelmed and wondering which thing we need to give our attention to next.
But as important as those things may seem, and as important as they were to Timothy, Paul starts his letter by bringing what’s most important back into focus. The thing is, if our focus is wrong, and we get off center, we’re unable to function in life. Through some of our friends , I’m often reminded (thankfully) how important to God (and to us) the SIMPLE things in life were intended to be. How often we neglect them! The simple truths in life establish us.
Honestly, how many times have (even us “FAITH” people) had the thought come to us that “the reason we’re experiencing these horrible things is that somehow we deserve them, or it’s because we did THIS or didn’t do THAT”? How many times have you heard folks say that the reason “x” happened is because God is “trying to TEACH THEM SOMETHING”?
The truth is, no matter how strong in faith we are, we need encouragement. We need the Word, and we need each other. We do however; always need to be reminded that our relationship with God (our primary focus) remains in good standing – not because of what we’ve done or haven’t done, but because of WHO GOD IS.
SO, when we come to God, we need to understand how we are received, and Paul is re-iterating that to us here. We know that in Hebrews 4:16 that we’re told to come BOLDLY to the throne of Grace, whether we feel that way or not. Paul is telling us here, that when we approach the Father, to say hello, to ask for something, or WHATEVER IT MAY BE, before anything comes out of our mouths, His extended greeting to US initially, is GRACE MERCY and PEACE. Stop and say that to yourself out loud. Go ahead. Let it sink in.
I’m reminded of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15. Before he could ever utter a word out of his mouth, his father had already forgiven him. If you look at the passage, we’re told the father noticed the son “while he was a long way off”. The father’s extension toward the son was already decided. The father had extended GRACE, MERCY and PEACE. The father had extended HIS hand to the son before the son could say a thing. I don’t know about you, but that humbles me. I know that I do not deserve that. I don’t need to be reminded about all I’ve done wrong, or fell short of. I’m well aware of those things. Reminding me of those things doesn’t really bring me closer to God (and don’t expect it to do so for anyone else either). The father didn’t do that to the son in Luke 15, and we should expect no less from Him. God’s attitude toward me in WHATEVER state I am in (emotionally or otherwise) when I approach Him, is GRACE MERCY and PEACE.
Any thoughts? I'll follow up in the days to come.