Itching ears
Day 649, Friday, May 22
2 Timothy Chapter 4
Division in the church is never desirable, and it is always ugly. Through most of my life and ministry I hoped and prayed that the path our former denomination was on would be one of convergence, not divergence. Unfortunately the time came when even the most optimistic observer had to accept that was not the case. That particular Christian family could no longer function in unity, and keeping up the pretense that it could was just too exhausting.
That division didn’t happen in isolation. The “culture wars” that divide the western world politically made their way into all areas of the Christian church, bringing existing theological differences to a boil. Energy once devoted to building bridges ignited into burning bridges.
The words in 4:3-4 sound like they were written for our age: “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.”
The challenge is that people on all sides like to claim these words to support their team. We are on the side of sound doctrine; they are hearing what they want to.
Seeking to hear God’s voice always requires a dose of humility. In yesterday’s reading we heard that scripture is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. Always keep in mind that sometimes we are the ones being taught, being rebuked, being corrected and being trained. Sometimes we are the teacher; sometimes we are the pupil.
The path I chose in the split in Methodism shows which path I believe has sounder doctrine, but I always keep in mind that my ears itch as much as anyone’s to hear what I want to hear. Like all Christians, I need to seek God’s assurance that what I am hearing is what he is saying.
There are a lot of competing voices telling us what scripture really means. Read the scripture. Listen to it. Pray about it. And, as Paul said, “keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge the duties of your ministry.”
Friday meditation
Psalms 121:1-8
I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord watches over you—the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
Prayer focus
Watch over our lives, Lord—our coming and our going both now and forevermore.
-Rev. Mark Fleming