Run to Glory
But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses… (I Timothy 6:11,12)
We live life on the run. We are constantly on the move. We are always leaving something behind; even if it is only yesterday. We are always heading towards something new; even it is only tomorrow. Apart from time, we are regularly running from something, and running toward something else. The question is, from what and to what?
When the Apostle Paul wrote to young Timothy, he pointed out: “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” This is what Timothy was to run from.
Righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness—this is what he was to run to.
But that would not be a natural instinct. Human nature expects that wealth will bring about the good life, the easy life, and fun. It does not expect that it may bring grief. It will fight that idea.
It isn’t money that’s the problem. It’s the love of money. It is the turning of money into the altar of an idol. When money comes first in life, God does not come in at a close second. He is eliminated from the field. If the Lord is not God in our life, he is only a god. We might think about him, even worry about him—but not fear, love, and trust in him above all things.
Run from the idolatry of money! It causes people to wander from saving faith. That brings grief, not joy. The altar of money spits out worthless checks and fake medals.
Run, instead, to glory! Run after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. The glory God offers is golden, and so is the life that comes with it.
If the average American moves a lot, the warrior American can expect to move more. A PCS is not permanent. The next move may be across an ocean or onto an ocean. Moving is one of the few certainties the military offers.
But no matter how the geography may change, the final destination does not. The Christian warrior knows that he is in the fight of his life against forces of evil that would have him turn traitor against his Commander, and give up citizenship in his heavenly Kingdom. The love of money is a weapon in Satan’s hands.
But that is not an ultimate weapon. We have seen it misfire with our own eyes. This IED blows to bits the soul that clings to it. This is not our weapon. This is not our destiny.
We run from Satan—with all his works and all his ways. We run to our Father in heaven.
We are running to glory.
We pray:
God of grace and glory, we admit that we are tempted to run after the things that money can buy. It is easy for us to count on money to solve our problems, forgetting that this is only a tool that you can use to help us in life. It is easy for us to forget that the most precious things in life are things that money cannot buy. Remind us of the treasure of eternal life that you have already bought for us. Help us run to glory. Amen.
Written by Pastor Paul Ziemer, WELS National Civilian Chaplain
and Liaison to the Military, Cape Coral, Florida
Provided by WELS Ministry to the Military
