Growing Multigenerational Faithಮಾದರಿ

Today, my wife and I celebrate our 17th anniversary, and one of the many things we have discovered is that loving one another is much more than checking off some behavioral boxes. In fact, when we get into a rut of just behaving in a certain way toward one another, our relationship becomes dry and mechanical. It is when we are delighting in one another (seeing the things we love, and responding to that love by serving one another) that our relationship flourishes.

My relationship with Jesus is very similar. When I shift into “check off the boxes” mode, things quickly become dry and mechanical. When I approach His Word looking for new ways to delight in His love, my relationship with Him flourishes, and I find myself responding by loving Jesus and the people around me more and more.

I love Paul’s instructions to Timothy in verse 12: “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.” How easy would it be for us to look at this like a checklist of things to do to be a good leader? Certainly, these are characteristics we desire to see in our church leaders, and they are characteristics we want for ourselves as well! However, if we are looking at our lives like a behavioral checklist, and we are checking off these boxes so we can pat ourselves on the back, we are missing the point.

Jesus’ invitation to us is to delight in Him; His Word is a great starting place for that. That is why Paul directs Timothy to the Scriptures, because this is often where we see Jesus’ love for us most clearly and consistently. It is when we are immersing ourselves in His Word that His Spirit washes us in the water of the Word to present us to Christ as a glorious bride, without spot or wrinkle.

The change is obvious as our hearts come alive in response to Jesus' love for us. There is an increasingly genuine, selfless quality to our love for people because Christ’s love is flowing through us into their lives. “Persist in this,” Paul says in verse 16, “for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.” People can’t help but be drawn to a love like that, one that overflows from our hearts as seen in our speech, our conduct, our love, our faith, and our purity.

Are you focused on duty or delight? It makes all the difference in the world.

Nick and Megan Campagna - Pastor

Questions to Consider

• Is your faith in God measured by how well you check the boxes, follow the rules, and “keep God happy,” or is it focused on developing a greater sense of delight in God?
• How can you spend more time with God’s Word to allow it to wash over you to renew a heart of love for God?

Actions to Take

• Find someone to read the Bible with to help you be consistent.
• The next time you read the Bible, start with a prayer asking God to help you find delight in him.

Prayer to Make

Holy Spirit, reveal the beauty of God’s Word and God’s character to me through the words of Scripture. Wash over me and wash me with your grace, truth, beauty, and love so my heart finds great delight in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Amen.