We live in a material world, the world where everything is being weighed, measured, compared, and divided. People desire things like money, estate, cars and other luxuries. But things like love, friendship, respect and dignity have no longer value by itself, they are being viewed through the prism of poverty and wealth. Poverty is despised and ignored, but wealth is respected and worshiped. Materialism is the religion of many and money is their god.
In the First Epistle to Timothy, beside other things, Paul warns his “son in the faith” about very common heresy in the Christian world. It is co-called “prosperity gospel” or “prosperity theology”, the teaching that says, that material wealth is a reward from God for faithfulness and spirituality.
In 1 Timothy 6, Paul starts with setting up a proper attitude of the workers towards their employers. He asks “servants” to “count their own masters worthy of all honour” for God’s glory. Moreover, if they “have believing masters . . . not despise them . . . but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit” (1 Timothy 6:1-2). Paul calls believers to “withdraw thyself” from “supposing that gain is godliness” (1 Timothy 6:5). Instead he says, that our “godliness with contentment” (Timothy 6:6) of what we have. If we have little in this world, and it is enough to carry us through it, we shall not desire more. Godliness is itself great gain. That is what we shall desire. Because, “we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out” (1 Timothy 6:7). You cannot bring all your possession into the grave with you, moreover you do not need it there. And if you are believer, than you know your destiny – God is well of inexhaustible riches of heavens.
So, “having food and raiment” as our daily need provided by our Heavenly Father “let us be therewith content” (1 Timothy 6:8).
Scripture
8 Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: 9 Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain. -- Proverbs 30:8-9 KJV
Observation
“Observation of Agur” is the name of Proverbs 30. It seems like this Proverb was dictated by Agur, the son of Jakeh, and written down by Ithiel and Ucal, his pupils. Agur was a collector of wise sayings and this is the only prayer in the Book of Proverbs.
In his prayer to God, Agur asks only two things to provide him with to the end of his days: “two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die“. First, he prays for honesty and decency in his heart, he prays to God to keep him away from pride and falsehood – “remove far from me vanity and lies“. He prays to God a very thing what made man to desire more than God gave and fall into sin. Second, Agur prays to God against extremes of poverty and wealth – “give me neither poverty nor riches“, and give him exactly what he need according to God’s will – “feed me with food convenient for me“. He prays for contentment with all what he has. Agur prays to God against being wealthy and “be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord?“. He prays to God against being in poverty “and steel, and take the name my God in vain“.
Application
This is the time for your journaling. Reflect on these questions. Ask the Holy Spirit to test your faith and your walk with Christ.
Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? — 2 Corinthians 13:5 KJV
- Are you content with what you have?
- What is your daily request to God?
- Are your desires aligned with God’s will?
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, we love You Lord God. We want to love You more. We pray that Your Spirit will change the desires of our hearts and bring us contentment with what You gives us daily. We thank You Lord Jesus for the gift of eternal salvation what we have in You. Let all our desires be of You and for You.
All these we pray in the name of our Lord and Savor Jesus Christ. Amen