Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment.
1 Timothy 6:17
Who is God supposed to be for each of us?
I know how often I live in this day-to-day seeking enjoyment from so many other things. During rough times, particularly during rough economic times recent memory, it becomes easy to be nothing besides let down. When things aren’t going well, when it’s difficult to find work, or when it’s difficult to provide for those we love, it becomes surprisingly easy to look through a lens of pessimism.
Would life not be so much better if we had financial security? We could live in our homes without fear of facing foreclosure and attend our jobs without fear of suddenly appearing on the list of the unemployed. When such things become our focus, however, we have missed something critical.
Our eyes are supposed to be lifted to something higher than the things of this world. In 1 Timothy, Paul commands that the rich should not focus solely on what they have and that their trust should be placed in something more.
Paul says it plainly. God should be where we put our trust because He gives richly.
So, this conclusion leads to a critical question. Is God your primary source of enjoyment? For all of those things that do provide pleasure, do you put them in a place above God? Or do you put them in a place where you can thank God for them without shame?
Cross Section 