For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age…
Titus 2:11-12
The passage the good folks from biblegateway.com give us this morning comes from Paul as he reminds the first-century church about being and making a difference in a world that tends to reject the One who offers them a relationship. Instead they choose the pursuit of their passions.
Wow! Let me say it again, backwards; !woW
It is like Paul has been sitting and watching us as we live our lives in a culture heavily influenced by two factors: secularism (the belief that the state, and thus the people, are the way to salvation), and the worship of self-esteem and self-fulfillment.
So his prescription for us; focus on God. Now in Paul’s eyes, Jesus is the physical and spiritual embodiment of YaHWeH, and therefore is worthy of passionate devotion and personal emulation.
And the last time I checked the Gospels, Jesus always took time to focus on and point toward the Heavenly (not society or the state) as the source of completeness. Then he taught and modeled selfless living toward others as he opened a way for all humanity to be reunited with their Creator, Savior, and Divine Inspirer through his sacrifice on the cross.
LORD, help us to focus our attentions (hearts), devotions (souls), comprehensions (minds), and actions (strengths) on you today. Unlike our society, you always have been, are, and will be the source and answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything. Amen!
Now get out there an emulate Jesus!
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