Paul wrote this more personal letter to Timothy probably close to the end of his life.
(1) Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life in Christ Jesus,
He identifies himself as an apostle, one who is laying the foundation for the church, because of the will of God, and twice right here, and again in the next verse, the word order of Christ Jesus, which is saying that Jesus is the Anointed One to be Lord God Almighty over all creation. And because He is our Savior, He rose from the dead with a new life to share with us forever.
(2) To Timothy, my beloved son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
He calls Timothy his well-loved son in the Lord, and blesses him with the grace, mercy and peace from both the Father and the Son. The usual greeting included grace and peace, and Paul adds mercy both here and in his first letter to Timothy.
(3) I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did,
Paul always was careful to have a clear conscience, even before Jesus confronted him on that Damascus road (Acts 9: 3-6), he followed the Jewish religion faithfully, then Jesus turned him around, and he's been faithful in following God's ways.
as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day,
Paul was a prayer warrior, and I don't doubt that he prayed for each of his loved ones by name. This is a good example for us to follow.
(4) longing to see you, even as I recall your tears, so that I may be filled with joy.
Timothy may have been emotional at the parting of Paul as a prisoner of Rome. So Paul is wanting to see him with a smile, to visit him in prison and rejoice with him at how God was able to use his imprisonment for the furtherance of the Gospel.
(5) For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well.
Timothy was raised principally by his mother and grandmother, who were faithful Jewesses who taught him the Old Testament, and Timothy most likely recognized Jesus as Messiah under Paul's ministry.
(6) For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.
Paul was no doubt among the elders who performed the ordination ceremony when Timothy was appointed pastor of the church in Ephesus (4: 14). Paul wants him to stir up the flame of the spiritual gift that can otherwise fade into an ember, as a fireplace needs to be stirred up to maintain the flame.
(7) For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.
This is a very popular verse that is quoted often, as it is such a precious truth to be laid hold of by all of God's children. God's Holy Spirit that He has given to live in us is a spirit of powerful might; and unconditional love; and a sound, healthy, disciplined mind. He gives us the confidence to not be timid or fearful, but boldly confident in the Truth we are given to proclaim.
And we are to proclaim it to every living person in the world. Everyone needs to know how much God values and loves each one of us, to consider us worth sending His own Son to take our death for us. To purchase us out of the slave-market of sin and be born into the very family of the royal King.
O my Father, please send out all of Your children into our families, our relatives, our neighbors, our co-workers, our fellow shoppers in the stores and shops we frequent, and out into all the world, that every living person will be able to hear and understand enough to turn to You, Father, to Your open arms, and realize how much You love them and have already met their most important needs!
And strengthen us, Father, to withstand all the gales of troubles and trials and sorrows this world throws at us. And when Your wrath is poured out upon this world, let us see the thousands falling at our side, and the ten thousands at our right hand, and just stand there watching as it doesn't touch us, because the wrath due us has already been poured out upon Jesus in our place!
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
