Hope in the Living God ...

Monday, Sept 4, 2018. When you want to reach a goal, usually you need to focus and concentrate on what you want to achieve. How is it in faith? The bible tells us that the grace of God is a gift. We cannot earn it, we cannot buy it, and we cannot achieve it by deeds. It is given to us as a present! But still, in all of this, there is more to say about behaviour, about goals and how we lead our life …

Godly life …

When you put your hope in the living God, your life changes. Putting our hope in him means that also all other things in our life get oriented towards him. You cannot do one thing and not do the others, or you will not do the first thing.

Let us look into what the apostle Paul writes to Timothy about godly life:

7 Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. 8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 9 This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. 10 That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe. 11 Command and teach these things.

12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. 14 Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you. 15 Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. 16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. (1 Timothy 4, 7ff)

Modern Life …

Christian life is very modern life. Today we talk about well-being, about looking after your body carefully. Here, the goal is even deeper. There is some value in training your body, but there is universal value in being godly. Do we understand what it means to be godly, to live in similarity to how God is, to live in a way which follows him, which fits to him?

Christian faith is about the living God. It is not about some idea or ideal. It is about a living being, who is the creator of all that is. God is spirit, he is all-powerful, he is full of mercy, he is holy, he is just, he is love himself. We talk about someone amazing and fantastic, about someone who is far beyond our usual common or daily experiences.

Ask God to come into your life. There is nothing less to ask. There is nothing more to ask. He makes our life complete - the bible calls it peace, since we have reached the ultimate goal. All other goals come from him and lead to him, when they are good. (Roland Potthast) ... further texts