Living for God

Remember Christ’s words in Matthew 6:33, “seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.” In this we will be blessed. Or Paul’s words in Romans 12:2, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind…” We should be encouraged from these thoughts to leave this world behind and follow Jesus. One verse that I have been enjoying is 1 Timothy 6:11.

 “But thou, O man of God flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.” 

Here, we are challenged about three things: our identity, our interests, and our intention.  ‍

What is my identity?

‍“thou, O man of God”

I’m not sure if Timothy was doubting his identity, but Paul encouraged him as a “man of God”. It got me thinking about another great man of God – the prophet Samuel. 

‍“Behold now, there is in this city a man of God” (1 Samuel 9:6)

 Initially, Samuel seemed to see his identity as Eli’s servant. But he had to learn that his identity was in God. As a young boy he would say, “Speak, thy servant heareth” (1 Samuel 3:10). 

What an identity – to be the servant of the living God! And like Samuel or Timothy our identity as men should not be rooted in our relationship to the world, but our relationship to the Lord. ‍

Where are my interests?

‍“flee these things”

Timothy, the young man of God, had to choose between following worldly interests or fleeing them. Money, idols, women, power … there is no end to things that can tempt us. But we need to remember that they lead to sin, and to death. Satan is trying to get at us and shake us, so let’s keep our eyes on Christ, putting on the armour of God with prayer “to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:10-18). Let us “flee these things” to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness”.

‍What is my intent and goal in life? 

“and follow after…”

The thought here is to pursue after the things of God. The example is of an athlete or gymnast who has a goal in sight and pursues it at all costs to gain the prize. Men of God do this. They pursue the things of God – from standing up for what’s right to laying down their lives for the sake of the gospel. This is a high calling, to pursue the things of God, yet it is greater than any worldly pursuit, for it is of eternal value.  

Eric Liddell, an Olympic champion and missionary once said “since I have been a young lad, I have had my eyes on a different prize. You see, each one of us is in a greater race than any I have run in Paris, and this race ends when God gives out the medals.” 

“So run, that ye may obtain.” (1 Corinthians 9:24)