"Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come" 1 Timothy 4:7-8, ESV
Lately, I can't seem to get away from this verse. It's everywhere, in my bible study I am in at church, in my mind constantly because I am longing for a good physical workout but can not get one into my schedule lately. It's in my heart as I just passionately want believers to see the utmost importance of being in God's word daily.
I want to suggest something that may sound a bit radical to many of you, depending on your background. I am suggesting that God created us with a NEED for Him, and that need He alone can satisfy with His word. "In the beginning was the Word, and the word was with God, and the Word was God....the Word became flesh and dwelt among us." John 1:1, 14a Jesus Christ is the Word. The word is living and active, and God uses His word to draw us to Himself. Among many other things.
Some of us may have grown up in a legalistic type environment where daily devotions were merely a checklist. So as an adult the idea seems somewhat ancient or irrelevant because of the negativity you associate with having a daily quiet time. I want to suggest to you that a daily quiet time and devotion are not merely a "good idea" or for those more disciplined than yourself, but rather, a part of our dependant responsibility (as Jerry Bridges terms it). We are responsible to God to seek Him, while completely dependant upon Him for the grace to do so. We must beg God for the hunger and thirst for His rightesousness (Mt. 6:33)
You may ask how often are we to seek Him? Well if were keenly aware of the sinfulness of our own hearts, we would recognize that we must in fact seek Him moment by moment so that we can live our lives for His glory. Instead..all too often we get caught up in "things" sometimes good things, sometimes bad. The point is before we know it we are often halfway through our day without a thought to being before the Lord in prayer and in bible study.
I am not suggesting we pursue God in His word daily because it makes us feel good, look good or sets a good example to our children. While being an example and cultivating a godly legacy within your family is important. We should rather be concerned with the state of our hearts before the Lord. How are we to have clean hearts before God if we are not in His word to know what a clean heart is? How are we to have steadfast spirits if we are not in prayer asking God to give us a steadfast spirit.
How are we to know God and His word to share with others who NEED Jesus as savior if we are not in the word. Let's face it, sharing the Gospel is not merely about asking people where they think they will go when they die. I think as a society people are more and more apathetic and not so concerned with eternal life as opposed to the earlthy realm that is right before their eyes. You can not scare someone into accepting the truth of Christ. You can however love someone so much that they see Christ's love (b/c love comes from God alone). You can "win" a hardened heart with the softening love of Christ. The love that surpasses all understanding and reaches across all boundaries to just shamelessly display Christ to others. We have nothing to lose in loving people for the glory of God! We have everything to lose if we don't pursue Christ in His word!
You may ask, are you saying that someone can lose his salvation? NO. Based on God's word alone I believe that once you accept Christ as your personal Savior, you are a child of God. You are then kept by the grace of God. However, I believe that...at times we are rendered ineffective believers because we fail to pursue God's word and then are caught up in the circumstances of daily life with little or no regard to the LORD. We, in the words in 1 Timothy, fail to train ourselves for godliness. When we are training ourselves for godliness, we are pursuing a relationship with God as our first priority so that we can live our lives for His glory. We can not live our lives for God if we think nothing of God. If we go about our daily business and try to "fit" God in where we can, and when we want to or when it is convenient, then we will be a mess. God designed us so intricately that we need Him in EVERYTHING. We NEED God in the mundane every day details of life.
I need to be in God's word so I know how I ought to live. I need God's word hidden in the depths of my heart so that I can be a mother who goes after her children's hearts for God's glory. I need God's word before my eyes continally because I am a sinner who is prone to wander, prone to selfishness and prone to pride. I need the Word of God so that, "You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 3:17-18
I need to discipline myself (tempered with grace) so that out of a loving and reverant heart for WHO GOD IS, I am daily seeking Him in His word and prayer..so that I continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ..so that, I am "always ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence." 1 Peter 3:15
Let us join in prayer for ourselves and for one another that God Himself would "Create within us pure hearts and renew a steadfast (immovable) spirit." as David cried out to God in Psalm 51:10.
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied." Matthew 5:6
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