Spiritual Discipline // PRAYER
By Donia Hovet
Let’s start by reading 1 Timothy 6:9-10; 17-19.
9-10: But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.
17-19: Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. 18 Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. 19 By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life.
This past week I was delivering a meal to a family out in Stayton. As I drove out, the sun was setting, but there was still plenty of light to see clearly. However, I had stayed to chat and pray for a bit and by the time I left, it was dark. I felt fairly confident that I could retrace my steps without my GPS, however, I missed the onramp for HWY-22 and found myself on a strange road. I drove on for a few minutes and the further I traveled, the more my interior alarm went off. After several miles, I pulled over, entered my home address into my maps app, performed the obligatory 3-point turn and continued on my way. It was an annoying interruption after a long day, but I needed to stop. I needed a guide. I needed more than me to make it home safely.
When it comes to money, we are easily corrupted. We can easily take a wrong turn into greed, debt, and stinginess. Let’s take some time to reflect on the words of 1 Timothy 6 and then confess and pray.
Application:
- What evils do you think Paul was talking about in verse 10? What evils have you done with your money?
- Why do you think Paul says that money is unreliable? What is your trust relationship with money like? What do your spending habits reveal about how you think about ownership, generosity and provision?
- Prayer: 5-10 minutes:
- Invite God into your finances. Confess him as your provider and the ultimate owner of your possessions.
- Ask God for ways to share this week.
- Ask God if there is an area of your relationship with money that is headed in the wrong direction. Allow him to speak to you and guide you into a turn around. Spend some time in a prayer of repentance. (Psalm 51 is a great guide for this.)