Focus

Slow your breathing and become aware of the taking in and letting out of your breath. Focus on putting things aside so you will be open to what God is saying to you today.

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Read

1 Timothy 6:6-19 (NRSV)
Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment; for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it; but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.
The Good Fight of Faith

But as for you, man of God, shun all this; pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life, to which you were called and for which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep the commandment without spot or blame until the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will bring about at the right time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords. It is he alone who has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see; to him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.

As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share, thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life.

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Reflect

Eddie had grown up in rugged cattle and timber country where respect was measured by how many times a man had careened his pick-up off a mountainside without dying. In the middle of a pack of five children who had to compete to eat from the meager offerings in their home, he emerged as a world-class specialist in command of information worth billions to the giant energy corporations.

School teachers, recognizing Eddie’s amazing aptitudes, guided him wisely so that he did something never seen in that remote community: he went to college. When he finished college (with numerous honors), Eddie thought he’d feel good about himself, but he didn’t. So, he went to graduate school. “Even after getting my doctorate, I still felt worthless,” Eddie admitted. He got an incredible job, but still felt no better.

Eddie went to work on his own as a consultant. When I knew him, he was a wealthy 40-year-old entrepreneur who had just completed a study of oil reserves in the Arctic. He offered his report at $35,000 a copy to the elite energy producers, expecting to sell three or four. He quickly got orders for thirty copies! That’s when he came to talk. “I can’t understand why I’m not happy. I have everything I have ever wanted, but ….” His voice faded into the empty silence that is home only to forlorn despair.

He had everything—everything but contentment. He had learned that contentment does not come from stuff. This truth scared him.

Paul wrote to teach Timothy and the rest of us that life becomes good when we pursue godliness. The pursuit of the wrong things—money, fame, pleasure, happiness, leisure—never ends well.

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Pray

God, please show me how I waste life by investing time in trivia instead of following the footprints of your Son. Sharpen my awareness of every tendency to drift into drivel; convict me when I prefer junk food to the solid food of your Word. Awaken in me the determination to maintain 100 percent commitment to the leadership of Christ. Amen.

Go with God.