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Do your best to come to me soon. For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me...
- 2 Timothy 4.9, 10
- 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 comforts and distractions of 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.
If we love the world more than we love God, we will desert the cause for which Christ died and generations of saints risked their lives and wellbeing at just the moment we most need to defend it.
But we cannot 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 a life of 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 be 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.
Today you will feed one or the other of these strong affections: love for God, or love for the world. Which will it be? Which are you right now seeking to nurture, which to suppress?
It comes down to this, beloved – it all comes down to what we love.
Psalm 24.3, 4 (Foundation: “How Firm a Foundation”)
Oh, who may ascend to the Lord’s holy place?
And who may appear to His glorious face?
All they who are clean in their hearts and their hands
And true in their souls with Savior shall stand.
Lord, do I love You as much as Patrick, who left home, family, and inheritance for the sake of the Gospel? Or Colum, who forsook his beloved Ireland for Iona? Do I love You, Lord, more than these?
Many of you have written commenting on how much these brief citations from the literature of the Celtic period mean to you. Two other columns at our website are devoted to the literature of this period.
The Scriptorium column takes a deeper look at particular writings, looking for ways their thinking can help to shape our walk with the Lord. We've just finished reviewing the writings of Patrick and will soon begin a series on Sechnall, one of Patrick's disciples.
The Celtic Legacy column gives a longer sampling of specific documents - this time around following the Church calendar - together with commentary. This week we consider a selection from Saltair na Rann.
Just a reminder: Your gifts at this time of the year encourage us that our work is making a contribution. You can use the donate button at the website, or here in the newsletter, or you can send your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 43135 Rudy Terrace, Leesburg, VA 20176. Thank you for sharing with us.
T. M. Moore, Principal
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