Pause for Concern

[From 9/19]

"For people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, inhuman, implacable, slanderers, profligates, brutes, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than loves of God, holding to the outward form of godliness but denying its power.  Avoid them."

(2 Timothy 3:2-5)

Paul is on his soapbox here in 2 Timothy 3... listing many different kinds of people to avoid.  Some are obvious (abusive, unholy, inhuman, brutes, slanderers, haters of good, treacherous, etc.).  Others cause me to self-reflect critically (lovers of themselves & money, arrogant, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, etc.).  And ONE causes me deep concern: "holding to the outward form of godliness but denying its power."  Wow.

What are the "outward forms of godliness" in Christianity?

• prayer
• worship
• giving/stewardship
• scripture reading
• acts of compassion

These are just a few, of course.  However, they are acts that ALL of us are called to be about as followers of Jesus.  And as a pastor, they're also activities that I strongly encourage others to do.  But do I truly believe in their power?  Or am I sometimes going through the motions?  Wow.  Forgive me, LORD.  Renew me.  Recenter me.  Release me to believe fully!