Truly Life

1 Tim. 6:20

O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you.

 

Verses 11-21 comprise a summary of important and essential items for Timothy, and all believers. Paul is making sure that Timothy, and those to follow down through the years, are living for what is truly life, that is living for the future and storing up treasure that makes for a foundation.

• Flee controversy and quarrels about words.
• Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Big order! So very important. What am I pursuing? What are evidences in my life that I am pursuing?
• Fight the good fight of faith. Am I using the armor of God? 
• Take hold of eternal life. Live for the future. Invest in what is lasting.
• Keep the commandments unstained and free from reproach until Christ comes back. Walk worthy of the gospel.
• To the rich: don't put your hopes on the uncertainty of riches but on God who supplies all we need. Instead they are to do good, be rich in good works, be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure as a foundation for the future so they may take hold of what is truly life. How rich is rich? According to US standards or according to other nations? I know we are a far cry from rich, but we still place value in salary and savings. We are very careful with our resources always making sure that we are taken care of first. So the warning is to everyone. I need to examine my grasp on these things and see if they are part of what is truly life. For me,  the point is do good and make our accumulated wealth (or lack thereof...whatever we have) be measured in good works and generosity. In this way I am laying hold of what is truly life. [I love that phrase.] Money is a powerful thing and it seems to illicit grasping and greediness immediately. It is definitely a battle that can only be fought with God's armor.
• Guard the good deposit entrusted to you. The same deposit is entrusted to me. I must guard it by being alert and ever vigilant to squash greediness, controversy, arguing, and anything that takes my focus off what is truly life.  I must live for the future storing up treasure for a good foundation. I wonder what my storehouse is like. Does it have enough for a foundation?
• Avoid irreverent babble and contradictions concerning 'knowledge.'

All this seems pretty hard and impossible. That is the point! I am not to go after these things in my own strength but rely on Him. I am to do all through His grace. 1 Cor. 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.

 

Father,

Give me Your grace and strength to guard the deposit You have placed in me. Help me live only for the future storing up treasure for my foundation. Open my eyes to what is truly life.

In the name of Jesus,

Amen