The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Timothy 6:11,
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 reply and let me know.
"But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness."
Here is a command from Scripture. The "flee from all this" refers to the famous statement of Paul, the verse just preceding, "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."
Here are six things Paul instructs Timothy to pursue: righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness as the alternative God provides. By extension, I recognize these are the things I need to pursue as well. The Scriptures provide us teaching in the how-to of these things, particularly the book of Proverbs.
So, we have these "commands." Why did God give us these? Is it because I need to behave? Is it because he finds my sinful ways odious to his sense of righteousness, to his own pristine sinlessness? Did he give us these that we might become winsome representatives for him in his efforts to evangelize the world?
Possibly all of these things. However, given the context, something wonderful is on display here that helps me understand the heart of God for us. It relates to our happiness. In God's great love for us, he provides us a path, not only for an inheritance in eternal life, but also a path to happiness and joy in this life as well. He provides us the remedy for piercing ourselves "with many griefs."
"Wine, women and song" are the things that naturally attract us (well, the men anyway...). The pursuit of toys and diversions and so forth - fame and fortune. While we may find these fun for a season, God knows they will not ultimately provide us the happiness and joy we seek. Often these bring quite the opposite. I believe the reason we are given the direction to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness is for our happiness, our joy.
This command, this pursuit, is the antidote to "piercing ourselves with many griefs." God does love us, and I am certain he desires our happiness and joy. What I may seek naturally, what I may pursue on my own, just may be my ruin. God knows what is best and he knows me better than I know myself.
Just something to mull over as we consider the many purposes of the commands of our Creator.
Here is a command from Scripture. The "flee from all this" refers to the famous statement of Paul, the verse just preceding, "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."
Here are six things Paul instructs Timothy to pursue: righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness as the alternative God provides. By extension, I recognize these are the things I need to pursue as well. The Scriptures provide us teaching in the how-to of these things, particularly the book of Proverbs.
So, we have these "commands." Why did God give us these? Is it because I need to behave? Is it because he finds my sinful ways odious to his sense of righteousness, to his own pristine sinlessness? Did he give us these that we might become winsome representatives for him in his efforts to evangelize the world?
Possibly all of these things. However, given the context, something wonderful is on display here that helps me understand the heart of God for us. It relates to our happiness. In God's great love for us, he provides us a path, not only for an inheritance in eternal life, but also a path to happiness and joy in this life as well. He provides us the remedy for piercing ourselves "with many griefs."
"Wine, women and song" are the things that naturally attract us (well, the men anyway...). The pursuit of toys and diversions and so forth - fame and fortune. While we may find these fun for a season, God knows they will not ultimately provide us the happiness and joy we seek. Often these bring quite the opposite. I believe the reason we are given the direction to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness is for our happiness, our joy.
This command, this pursuit, is the antidote to "piercing ourselves with many griefs." God does love us, and I am certain he desires our happiness and joy. What I may seek naturally, what I may pursue on my own, just may be my ruin. God knows what is best and he knows me better than I know myself.
Just something to mull over as we consider the many purposes of the commands of our Creator.
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 reply and let me know.
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