Godliness with Contentment
Opening Prayer
Heavenly Father, You have lovingly given me so very much. I pray You’ll help me be grateful and content.
Read 1 Timothy 6:6-21
[6] But godliness with contentment is great gain. [7] For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. [8] But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. [9] Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. [10] For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. [11] But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. [12] Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. [13] In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you [14] to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, [15] which God will bring about in his own time-God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, [16] who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen. [17] Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. [18] Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. [19] In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. [20] Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, [21] which some have professed and in so doing have departed from the faith. Grace be with you all. Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.
Reflect
What is the danger of the love of wealth?Living as a disciple involves discipline, much like anyone undertaking a serious sporting activity. Paul writes to Timothy, and his words are amazingly contemporary. Our advertising seeks to make us discontent. Whatever we have is not good enough. We need more or better, and we deserve it. So we are never satisfied with what we have. The Christian life, however, is to be one of contentment. It is not simply a case of running away from things that might make us drift from faith. Discipleship involves fleeing some things (love of money, v. 10) and pursuing others (righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness, v. 11). We don’t hide away from the world; instead we live in a way that shows our hope is elsewhere. In global terms, many of us would have to admit to being the people Paul calls the rich in this world (17). His charge to us is to put our hope in God (17) and to use our riches for others as well as to live lives of good deeds (18). “Godliness with contentment” (6) should be our aim.
Apply
Take stock of the things you have. How attached to them are you? Are you or can you become truly content?
Closing prayer
Lord, help me to keep my possessions in their proper perspective and pursue godliness with contentment.
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