One of my husband’s aunts once said to us, “I’m amazed at you two; you have been through so much.”At that time in our lives, we looked at each other and had no idea what she was talking about. What appeared to her as “so much” didn’t seem like much at all to us.
My devotional reading today takes another look at the same verse as yesterday, 1 Timothy 4:8, but with a different emphasis. The verse says, “For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.”
The author reminds me of something experience has taught me also. At one time, I felt that as long as things were going well I could handle life without Jesus. However, if affliction came, I was quickly on my knees asking for help. This seems almost an hypocrisy, but it is during those times that I learned how the Lord “is pleased to bring a little godliness into the soul.”
Some of God’s promises are for here and now. He says He will support me and give me the strength, comfort, consolation, and peace that the world knows nothing about. He is my Lord and Savior from sin, but He is also the blessing and joy of my life, a Friend who is with me when I need Him and when I think I do not. He is a power and reality that I can hardly describe, in both good times and bad.
When trouble comes and I am pushed into a corner, as He is pleased to be with me in that trial as He is in the good times. Not only that, He is able to give me a godly response to whatever is happening. It is in those trials that I experience His “promise of the life that now is.” It shows up as faith, hope, love, repentance, prayerfulness, humility, contrition, long-suffering, peace that passes understanding, even joy. These are gifts from Him that can be exercised even when I am deeply afflicted, but without the affliction, I would not know it.
By drawing forth godliness in the tough times, I learn that He is faithful to save me, faithful to keep His promises. I also am able to look at what He does for me in the here and now and realize how that bit of godliness in my own life is a “promise of the life that is to come.” I am more aware that this amazing life of Jesus that supports me now will surely take me through death and into a blessed eternity where, as my devotional says, “grace will end in glory; faith in sight; hope in fruition.”
What I have learned about Jesus and His faithfulness to me in the trials of life all point to the reality of eternal bliss. One day I will see Him as He is. The godliness that He produces in me under the pressures in this life is just a small taste of that day when eternal peace will be mine; no more sorrow and all tears wiped away, and I will be like Jesus.
James wrote, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” (James 1:2-4).
From the words and thoughts related to 1 Timothy, I could substitute any of the fruits of the Spirit for ‘patience’ because it is in trials where I have the wonderful opportunity to find out what Christ will do for me. Yet as my aunt demonstrated, sometimes only those observing my life can see ‘how much’ is happening to me. In great grace, Jesus does it and I am sometimes totally oblivious, both to the trials He uses and the godliness He is producing.
No comments:
Post a Comment