OUR FATHER WHO GIVES US ENCOURAGING  MENTORS  

1 Timothy chapter 1 verses 1 - 2 says this;

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope, 

To Timothy my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

This introduction by the Apostle Paul in his letter to Timothy, is a tender greeting of a teacher to his beloved student.

Paul first asserted his own calling and validated it as one both given as a command by God and by Christ Jesus.

He then went on to describe his relationship with Timothy as a father/son bond in the faith. He had seen Timothy converted into the kingdom of God and  Paul had mentored him in the things of the Spirit.

Paul then blessed Timothy by asking for grace, mercy and peace on Timothy from God the Father and from Christ Jesus.

The letter itself continued on with grave issues of doctrine and Christian conduct but its beginning warmly greeted the young man who was being given heavy responsibilities in the body of Christ in keeping with his own calling in Christ Jesus.

For  what Timothy faced in dealing with the issues in the local churches, he needed  mercy, grace and peace from the Lord and his teacher's  blessing and encouragment would also help him to stand firm.

 Amen.