Day 23 - 40 Days of HOPE
Dr Jim Brown's TruNorth Devotional
40 Days of HOPE
Day 23 | SPIRITUAL EXERCISE
40 Days of HOPE
Day 23 | SPIRITUAL EXERCISE
SPIRITUAL EXERCISE
1 Timothy 4:8-10
“Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is valuable in every way, because it promises life both for the present and for the future. This is a true saying, to be completely accepted and believed. We struggle and work hard because we have placed our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all and especially of those who believe.” (GNT)
When was the last time you worked out physically? (Maybe I shouldn’t ask!) And when we work out physically – whether it’s lifting weights or stretching or walking a distance – we are working our muscles, which is necessary if we are to stay in shape and function and move about in this world. The point is, staying strong physically doesn’t happen automatically.
The same is true in the spiritual realm. We need to “work out” spiritually. Paul, the human author of these verses, parallels the two – physical and spiritual – but says clearly that “Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is valuable in every way, because it promises life both for the present and for the future.”
Now, who would benefit from spiritual exercise? The person on the street who believes he is “spiritual” but doesn’t believe in Jesus Christ, our Lord, and Savior? No.
Paul makes it clear that BECAUSE we have placed our hope in the LIVING God (the resurrected Jesus), our spiritual exercise serves a purpose and “promises life for BOTH the present AND for the future.”
It’s essential to understand that our HOPE is not of value JUST in terms of Heaven up ahead, but our HOPE in God AND our future life with Jesus can give us the HOPE and the STRENGTH to live a better life in the here-and-now – while we wait.
Prayer: LORD, I’m waiting! Please come today, but in the meantime, I’ll continue exercising spiritually and looking forward; not ignoring my role in this world as Your Ambassador in the here-and-now. Amen.
1 Timothy 4:8-10
“Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is valuable in every way, because it promises life both for the present and for the future. This is a true saying, to be completely accepted and believed. We struggle and work hard because we have placed our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all and especially of those who believe.” (GNT)
When was the last time you worked out physically? (Maybe I shouldn’t ask!) And when we work out physically – whether it’s lifting weights or stretching or walking a distance – we are working our muscles, which is necessary if we are to stay in shape and function and move about in this world. The point is, staying strong physically doesn’t happen automatically.
The same is true in the spiritual realm. We need to “work out” spiritually. Paul, the human author of these verses, parallels the two – physical and spiritual – but says clearly that “Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is valuable in every way, because it promises life both for the present and for the future.”
Now, who would benefit from spiritual exercise? The person on the street who believes he is “spiritual” but doesn’t believe in Jesus Christ, our Lord, and Savior? No.
Paul makes it clear that BECAUSE we have placed our hope in the LIVING God (the resurrected Jesus), our spiritual exercise serves a purpose and “promises life for BOTH the present AND for the future.”
It’s essential to understand that our HOPE is not of value JUST in terms of Heaven up ahead, but our HOPE in God AND our future life with Jesus can give us the HOPE and the STRENGTH to live a better life in the here-and-now – while we wait.
Prayer: LORD, I’m waiting! Please come today, but in the meantime, I’ll continue exercising spiritually and looking forward; not ignoring my role in this world as Your Ambassador in the here-and-now. Amen.
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