But It Caught Your Attention (1 Timothy 1:4)

When my daughter and I are driving on the road, we often like to comment upon the advertisements on billboards and buildings. But what always catches our eyes are people, either dressed up in costume or doing some ridiculous action. Sometimes we laugh and shake our heads over the antics. On one occasion, my daughter asked me,”That was silly! Why did they do that?”

“It is silly but that’s not the point, is it? It was trying to catch your attention and it succeeded, didn’t it?”

My daughter nodded in agreement but then I asked her, “It caught your attention, but what were they trying to sell?”

My daughter stopped to think about it and mumbled, “Something about a phone?”

Yes, something like that. Bottom line, the stunt caught our attention but we didn’t remember what they were trying to sell.

The Christian church may sometimes fall into a similar trap. Leadership may sometimes be more focused upon the type of worship music, children programs, and timely topics of discussion. All of these activities are important to address the needs of the church members. But the most important charge of any church is to teach the Word of God. Any church that is not grounded in God’s Word is a church in name only.

...nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith.
1 Timothy 1:4

The Apostle Paul warned his young protege, Timothy, the minister of the church at Ephesus, about the dangers of drifting from the true doctrine of God’s Word.  Distractions abound, both in Ephesus and in today’s church. We, like Timothy, need to be ever vigilant to be completely rooted in teaching and learning the pure Word of the Bible. Once our heart and focus is squarely upon God’s Word, all other church programs and activities will fall into its proper place.

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.