Christian meditation is very different than the meditation of the Eastern mystic religions. The mystics would have you focus on your self and mindfulness, Christian meditation involves rigorous and focused thinking. Instead of settling and being present, focusing on your body and your emotions, Christian meditation is focusing the mind on the verities of revealed truth (Psalm 1:2; Psalm 119:15; 23; 48; 78; 148; Psalm 63:6). For a more detailed work on meditation, I recommend God's Battle Plan for the Mind by David Saxton.
Timothy was to continually mediate on "these things" which I think refers to the epistle itself. Perhaps Paul was referring only to the immediate context, which would go back to the beginning of the chapter. In any case, Timothy was to continually meditate on his duty to the Lord and to His church. He was to roll around in his mind the responsibilities he has and how he was to go about serving the Lord. He was to meditate on the gospel, the doctrines, what he was reading and how he was to apply this to his own life.
Pastor, you are to give yourself wholly to the work. Thinking about your mission and responsibility is good, but you should then devote your life to the work. This isn't a part time job, it is your life's work. This doesn't mean that you necessarily have to be "full-time" (though if a church can, they defiantly should) but it means that the man life's work is the work of the ministry. Even as Paul labored with his hands, he was wholly devoted to the gospel of Christ. Barnes said it well:
"He was to devote his life wholly to this work. He was to have no other grand aim of living. His time, attention, talents, were to be absorbed in the proper duties of the work. He was not to make that subordinate and tributary to any other purpose, nor was he to allow any other object to interfere with the appropriate duties of that office. He was not to live for money, fame, or pleasure; not to devote his time to the pursuits of literature or science for their own sakes; not to seek the reputation of an elegant or profound scholar; not to aim to be distinguished merely as an accomplished gentleman, or as a skillful farmer, teacher, or author...It may be remarked here that no man will ever make much of himself, or accomplish much in any profession, who does not make this the rule of his life. He who has one great purpose of life to which he patiently and steadily devotes himself, and to which he makes everything else bend, will uniformly rise to high respectability, if not to eminence. He who does not do this can expect to accomplish nothing."
Note the progress. First, Timothy is to meditate. He needs to take the the truth and internalize it. To know what God expects from him, to know the dangers and pitfalls. Know how to improve and how to grow. To know that God has called him and to know that God is with him. To know the reward that awaits. To know that his ministry not only affects himself, but others. Next, Timothy was to act upon these truths. Once he has a firm grasp of the seriousness of his work, he is to work those truths out. Theory moves to practice. Finally, we see that Timothy's faithfulness in working out these truths will be seen by all. Timothy is blazing a trail in his personal godliness and ministry. He is progressing in his life and this progress will be evident by those under his ministry.
It would seem like an obvious point, but you are not perfect. Timothy wasn't perfect and Paul let him know that he wasn't. No one has it all together, knows all truth. Press on and you will progress spiritually. It will benefit you to meditate on the Scripture. God will bless you when you give yourself wholly to His work. When you do these things, the text say that your "profiting" will be seen by all, and the church will be blessed in turn.
Church, have mercy on your pastor. He is a man. He is a sinner and far from perfect. The expectation here is not that Timothy is going to be perfect, but that he is continually going to make progress. I listened to a podcast on preaching where a man said the apostolic mandate was not to be a good preacher (homiletically speaking), but to be an improving preacher. What most people judge a preacher on are not standards found in the Bible, such as preaching style, fashion, singing voice, or how he stacks up to their favorite preacher. Pastor, make sure that the Bible is what you judge your ministry by, not the expectations of a few know it alls who want you to live up to their expectations. Abound, progress, improve, and serve your King. That's what is expected of you.
No comments:
Post a Comment