Time For God: May 2

Focus: 2 Timothy 1:5
…when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.
 
Reflect:
I remember your mother… Any sentence that starts that way grabs my full attention. I want to discover all I can about her. I came from a broken home; I know little about my family. I still search to find out who my maternal grandfather really was. I rely on fading stories gleaned from other people. I want to know more of who I am.

Following a serious road accident, I awoke one day from a coma. I asked a stranger in the hospital ward, Where’s my wife? The woman replied, I’m your wife! My memory seemed to disappear; in an irregular sort of way it slowly returned.

In the end, memory plays tricks on us all. Experts cite the normal course of aging as one of many culprits. Stress, head injuries, and medications all play their part to weaken our recollections. Schedules and to-do lists help to minimize our errors.

The onset of years sees a decline in short-term memory. New learning becomes a challenge; the recent past is harder to recall. Why did I enter this room? Where did I place my glasses? What day was that appointment scheduled for? Sound familiar?

Someone once commented, I have a very good forgettery; it used to be a memory! With age, long-term memory seems to become more vivid and accessible. Spending time with seniors is often pleasurable and highly informative as their stories flow.

Some memories—trauma and anxiety among them—arrive without invitation. The Apostle Paul, however, describes a different kind of remembering. He deliberately calls to mind stories of people, events, and places that are important to retain.

Paul recalls—and reflects on—significant details. Writing to Timothy, he shares his recollections. Paul blesses the younger man. He recognizes that Timothy shows a quality of genuine faith. Paul saw that same faith characteristic in Timothy’s family. His mother and grandmother modeled their faith; he now follows their pattern.

Consider:
Who has modeled a way for you to fully live your life of faith? When has a follower of Jesus spoken into your life in significant ways? Who might you, in turn, mentor, encourage, or spur on in their faith?
 
Pray:
Blessed are You Lord God, King of the Universe, who calls each of us to love and serve you all our days. Stir my heart to recall your grace in my life. Bend my will to long for You. Move my feet to run for You. Stretch out my hands to offer the gift of your boundless love to others. In the strong and enabling Name of Jesus. Amen.