Do your best to come to me soon. For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me...

  - 2 Timothy 4.9, 10

No other outward thing ought to be loved, according to the reckoning of truth, except eternity and the eternal will, which is inspired and quickened by the Eternal, Wonderful, Ineffable, Invisible, Incomprehensible, Who fills all things and passes beyond all things, Who is present and yet eludes our grasp.

  - Columbanus, Sermon III, Irish, 7th century

The greatest obstacle to our being used of God in advancing His rule of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Spirit is our love for the material world.

This takes many forms: fear of being criticized or ostracized, entanglements of things and busy-ness, desire for advancement and esteem, love of ease, laziness, self-indulgence.

If we love the world more than we love God, we will desert the cause for which Christ died and saints risked their lives and wellbeing, at just the moment we most need to defend it.

But we cannot overcome love for the world and improve love for God without serious effort. Loving God involves seeking Him in His Word and prayer, waiting on Him throughout the day, and being obedient to all that He commands. We learn to love God by faithfully focusing on and following Him. The more we set our minds and hearts on knowing and loving God, the easier it will be to overcome love for the world, and the less likely it will become that we will desert Him when push comes to shove in some conversation with an unbelieving friend, or in the face of some heavy temptation.

We are creatures distinguished by our bent for loving. We must love, but we must make sure that we love what brings out the best of us, what causes us to flourish as the image-bearers of God.

And that is not this fleeting world and its gewgaws and distractions.

When we love Him Who is eternal, wonderful, and filling all things, we ourselves will become like Him, and will make Him known to this fading world.

Today you will feed one or the other of these strong affections: love for God, or love for the world.

Which will it be?

Psalm 124.1-3, 8 (Neumark: “If Thou But Suffer God to Guide Thee”)
If You had not been with us, Jesus – let all who love You say with pride –
When foes rose up to fright and seize us, they have swallowed us alive!
Our help is Your Name, O Lord, Who made creation by Your Word.

I love You, Lord; help me to love You more, and keep me from loving the world and things of the world.

Reading Right, Reading Wrong
It makes a difference how you read the Word of God. Write me, and I'll send you a copy of this little pamphlet, Reading Right, Reading Wrong, to help you stay on a proper course of loving and knowing the Lord in His Word.

Please forward Crosfigell to your friends and encourage them to join you as a member of The Ailbe Community. And thanks for your prayers and support of our work.

T. M. Moore, Principal
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