Reading: No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life. 2 Timothy 2:4

I have never been in the armed forces and have never aspired to a life in the military. It is just not for me. 

However, I understand that such a career demands submission, discipline, and devotion to duty. Those serving on battlefields cannot afford to be taken up with trivial things. Such an approach is never out of order for the Christian.

We are soldiers in a battle. We fight the good fight of faith and are under the command of Christ, the captain of our salvation. Our first responsibility is to please Him. All our thoughts, words, and actions are to be for His glory. We owe Him our first allegiance and as His soldiers we must go where He sends and do as He commands. In order to do this successfully we must not become entangled in the affairs of this world. We understand that we have duties and legitimate matters to attend to, but they must be viewed in the light of our service for Christ. Being “entangled in the affairs of this life” suggests being snared, and this is what we are to avoid. Lot became snared in the business of Sodom and it cost him dearly. Demas loved this present world and he forsook the servants of Christ.

Rather than being entangled in the affairs of this world, we ought to use the affairs of life as ways to serve Christ. There are numerous opportunities in the daily course of life to serve our Master; indeed, life itself is to be lived for His glory. Can we not think of ways to serve Christ today? There are mission fields on our doorsteps and a work of ministry wherever we are and whatever we do. Let us not be entangled in the affairs of this life; rather let us be energetic in the affairs of our Lord.

“The call to Christian commitment is not basically a call to enjoy happiness but to endure hardness.” John Blanchard

Taken from A Word in Season edited by Alan Cairns, 2010. Used by permission.