The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 2 Timothy 1:1,
"Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, in keeping with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus..."
In his salutation to Timothy, Paul points out that his apostleship was due to God's will. It was God's choice Paul be an apostle. God's decision. Paul did not claim his apostleship was his decision, the decision of the leadership of the church in Jerusalem or the decision of the Gentiles to whom Paul would focus his ministry. It was God's will, God's decision and God's choice.
I am overstating this obvious point for a reason. Many of us fail so often to recognize God's will. We displace the pursuit of God's will for our own. All too often we seek out what we want and assign it as "God's will". We pursue what it is we desire, what we may feel brings us the best advantage in life, what we think might be most fulfilling or most fun.
Of course, there is nothing new here. Folks have been displacing God's will for their own all the way back to the very first two humans God created: Adam and Eve. In Paul's letter here to Timothy, he speaks of those who have displaced God's will for their own, "Warn them [God's people] before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen." Folks do those kinds of things, "quarreling about words" when they displace God's will in their lives for their own.
Those who truly seek God's will have a different perspective. "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness." That is, they must displace or subordinate their own will, influenced by their own sinful nature, in favor of God's will. Paul asks Timothy, "Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels." Why should Timothy want to do such? Because it is God's will to do so.
"Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, in keeping with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus..."
In his salutation to Timothy, Paul points out that his apostleship was due to God's will. It was God's choice Paul be an apostle. God's decision. Paul did not claim his apostleship was his decision, the decision of the leadership of the church in Jerusalem or the decision of the Gentiles to whom Paul would focus his ministry. It was God's will, God's decision and God's choice.
I am overstating this obvious point for a reason. Many of us fail so often to recognize God's will. We displace the pursuit of God's will for our own. All too often we seek out what we want and assign it as "God's will". We pursue what it is we desire, what we may feel brings us the best advantage in life, what we think might be most fulfilling or most fun.
Of course, there is nothing new here. Folks have been displacing God's will for their own all the way back to the very first two humans God created: Adam and Eve. In Paul's letter here to Timothy, he speaks of those who have displaced God's will for their own, "Warn them [God's people] before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen." Folks do those kinds of things, "quarreling about words" when they displace God's will in their lives for their own.
Those who truly seek God's will have a different perspective. "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness." That is, they must displace or subordinate their own will, influenced by their own sinful nature, in favor of God's will. Paul asks Timothy, "Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels." Why should Timothy want to do such? Because it is God's will to do so.
God has his will and we have ours. The question is, whose will wins in the choices each of us make about what we think, say and do? The choice is ours. I suspect the real question is: Is it our will to follow God's will?
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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