“Exercise yourself toward godliness. For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. “
1 Timothy 4:7b-8
We are truly fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). God has designed us to be creatures who become more proficient at almost anything given enough practice. What we do, we become better at. What we do often, we become good at, and what we do constantly, we become experts at. Athletes are stellar examples of this principle. A professional boxer, for instance, trains hard for an average of 5 hours per day for 8-10 weeks in preparation for a fight. By the time he steps between the ropes to face his opponent, his power, speed, and reflexes will have been greatly developed. His hard training is absolutely necessary if he is to have any chance at winning the prize. At the very least, his skills will serve to protect him from serious injury. Today’s verse passage contains the imperative for us to train ourselves to be godly. The implication is that this does not come naturally. It is an attitude and perspective, a thought pattern and way of life that must be developed much the same as an athlete’s skills and reflexes must be developed. Godliness is an awareness of God and a desire to seek and submit to His will. For many people, even many professing Christians, God does not factor at all in the mundane, day-to-day affairs of this life. This ought not to be. In Christ all things consist (Colossians 1:17) and in Him we live, and move, and have our being (Acts 17:28). Conducting our affairs in this life without any thought or reference to God is not only the opposite of being Godly, it actually reflects the thinking of the wicked. The psalmist declared, “The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts” (Psalm 10:4). The Christian’s thought life ought to be typified by a constant awareness of God, of our dependence upon Him, and of our obligation to know and perform His will. We ought not to think of these things as burdens but as amazing privileges that lead to great blessings. The more we consciously think of God, even when engaged in the common, mundane affairs of this life, the more naturally this kind of Godly thinking will become. Reflecting on Jesus, we become more like Him (2 Corinthians 3:17-18). Considering Him, we overcome weariness and discouragement (Hebrews 12:3). Consulting Him, we avoid serious errors and dangers (Psalm 91). May God help us to be more mindful of Him today, and may we enjoy all the attending benefits for doing so.
God bless you dear saints,
Pastor John
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