Description
Paul offers strong advice in 1 Timothy 4:15. If we meditate on this verse, we can hardly avoid feeling inspired to go en… (visit YouTube for more)
Transcript
Paul has some great advice for his protégé, Timothy, in 1 Timothy 4, verse 15. Practise these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress.
Paul has just been telling Timothy to conduct himself well, to show love, to use wise speech, to show his faith, to live a pure life, to proclaim the gospel, to read scripture publicly, and to teach everyone, and he’s saying, do these things, keep doing them.
And I think back to one of the first times I preached and I happen to have a copy of the recording of that sermon and I, I started listening to it a while ago and I couldn’t bear it. It was so bad. And Paul says, practise these things so that people may see your progress.
I hope that I have made some small progress in the ways that God has me serve, whether that be in leading worship or in preaching or in serving others. This is not so that people can look at us and go, Oh, aren’t they doing well? How good they are.
No, it’s ultimately so that glory goes to God. And so that our witness, our example of being diligent and pressing in, even when we’re not very good at these things, this will be an example and an inspiration to others who come after us.
There are no shortcuts in the spiritual life. We have to keep pressing on. And sometimes that’s hard work, but we know at the end, if we have been faithful, God will say to us, well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into your master’s joy.
Lord God, please help us to keep on going. Even when the going is hard. We do want to honour and serve you and to soak ourselves, to immerse ourselves in all that is good that you have for us. Amen.
