Love of the world...
I'm quite convinced
reading the Bible is the most profitable thing a soul can do, but it is also
the most confrontational thing one can do to its own soul. Take a look ANYWHERE
in the Scriptures; take a look, sit still, and listen. It will confront our
notions and our behavior.
Take the following:
"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the
world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the
desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from
the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its
desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. (1 John 2:15-17 ESV)
As I read the above
verses this morning, three quick things jumped off the page at me.
First, I notice that
loving the world and the things of the world become our chiefest priorities, we
are in the very minimum distracted from loving God. When the pursuit of
pleasing the flesh takes priority over pleasing God, we find ourselves
preoccupied with self-gratification, which constantly positions us in
opposition to God.
Secondly, "...the
desires of the flesh...is not from the Father..." See that. Simply see it.
All that pulls us away from the Lord is not from the Lord! That seems simple,
but it's deep. We often blame the way we are and the way many worldly
conditions are on the Lord's hand, but no evil is from God, no brokenness is
from God, no sin is from God, and no wrongdoing is from God... none of the
desires to be ungodly are from God! Let's not put upon God what is not God's to
bear!
Lastly, all the
worldly stuff is very temporary, especially across the scope of eternity. We
always need to live with the reality of ultimacy in mind. Always. It's hard to
imagine this, but even 120 years is very temporary. We will live for decades
with things God will not tolerate in eternity. Imagine that, being caught up in
worldliness for a few dozen years only to have it cost for time immemorial.
There's much more here
in 1 John 2:15-17, but that sampling has left me pondering the goodness of God,
the brokenness of self, and the full scope of all that will be.
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