The God Of Boys

IV.

We cannot pass from this subject in the few glances we have given at the character of one or two of God's great servants without thinking of Timothy, Paul's true "child in faith" ~ Timothy 1. 2). The affection that existed between this spiritual father and his child is one of those delightful relationships and associations which are all too rarely seen. Alas, sometimes associations of the most tender and loving kind in the experiences of life are rudely disturbed by events that occur, and sometimes by the machinations of evil-minded persons, adepts at sowing discord among brethren (Proverbs 6.19).

Timothy's father was a Greek and his mother a Jewess (Acts

16.1). She was "a Jewess which believed." Her name was Eunice and her mother's name Lois. These two women were lovers of the Scriptures even before the apostle Paul came to their city Derbe in Galatia with the gospel of Christ. From his earliest days Timothy was brought up in an atmosphere hallowed by the Scriptures. It can never be estimated the benign light and blessedness that the Scriptures radiate wherever they find a place in the homes and daily lives of people. Therein is to be heard the voice of God and also therein are revealed His inmost thoughts of tender love and mercy to men.

Paul reminded Timothy, in the light of the sad days that were then fast approaching the testimony which had been established in the churches of God of those days; of the fact "that from a babe thou hast known the sacred writings which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 3.15). It matters little now whether they were the Hebrew Scriptures or the Greek translation thereof, called the Septuagint (or LXX), they were the Sacred Writings as we too would speak of our highly prized (and not by any means prized highly enough) English Bible. Thank God for beloved William Tyndale, and all the rest who laboured in that field of worthy and devoted service in order to give us the first treasure in this land. The dimpled finger of Timothy perchance traced the characters which conveyed to his mother's mind imperishable truth as he sat on his mother's knee and she read parts of the living oracles. From those words he was at length to learn with his grandmother and mother of the living Christ, who had died and been raised again. Paul came when he was yet young and his tender and impressionable heart was won for Christ. The Scriptures which revealed the past glory of his mother's people had now a new beauty and attractiveness, for there, standing on their threshold, he saw the Christ of God with nail-pierced hands and riven side beckoning on him. He received Christ truly, but this Christ wanted more than a place in his heart, He wanted himself, spirit, soul and body. He wanted his life to be devoted to Him. So young Timothy gave himself wholly to His cause, and the adjoining churches of Lystra and Iconium heard of his progress and took knowledge of his work, and they could not but speak well of Timothy when the crucial moment came, when Paul by divine guidance sought that Timothy should go with him to labour in the Lord's work. Amongst Paul's last words with which he closed the letters he wrote, having written the greater part of the books of the New Testament, are these written to Timothy. "Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me." "The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, bring when thou comest." "Do thy diligence to come before winter" (2 Timothy 4.9, 18, 21). Paul the aged, cold in winter's night, seeks the warmth of his cloke and of the love of his true child in faith. Where are the Timothies?

unknown | Jul 1953
The God Of Boys