The One Who Deserted

If I told you Jesus was coming back today, would you be fully thrilled? Or is there a part of you that would mourn something you didn't get to do yet?

The One Who Deserted

This week's devotions are written by my friend Jessica Hermann, former director of our college ministry at Great Hills Baptist Church.

- Pastor Danny

How do you end your emails or letters? Do you just end with the body of text, or do you sign your name at the bottom? Do you add a formal, "Sincerely," or a warm "Yours truly," before your name, or do you get a bit creative with something more personal? I think it's really interesting to see what words people choose to utilize in the closing of their emails, and I tend to pay attention. I've even seen trends online of people coming up with the most creative, funny and maybe a little unhinged ways to sign off an email.

Paul signs off a lot of his letters with some version of the phrase, "Grace be with you." In his final letter, 2 Timothy, Paul lists off many different people, giving various updates or making various requests concerning them before signing off with, "The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you." (2 Timothy 4:22) Let's look at some of those people he listed and see what we can learn from their mention.

2 Timothy 4:10 says, "For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia."

Yikes. How would you like to be forever remembered in the Scriptures as the guy who deserted Paul? This is one of the more tragic verses we read in the Bible. Demas had clearly heard the Gospel and appears to have been a close associate of Paul, serving with him in the Gospel ministry. Paul mentions him along with Luke in Colossians 4:14. He then calls him a fellow worker in Philemon 1:24. Demas was not just a fringe guy sitting in the back row on Sundays. He was heavily involved in the work of ministry. Yet he abandoned Paul. Even more tragically, it seems that he abandoned Christ, as we are told that he was, "in love with this present world."

1 John 2:15-17 warns us, "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever."

To "love the world" as the Scriptures discuss here is to value the temporary pleasures of this life above the priceless treasure of Christ Himself and being with Him in the life to come. It's easy to read about Demas and shake our heads at how foolish he was. But have you too been enticed by the "desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life," as John warns against? If I told you Jesus was coming back today, would you be fully thrilled? Or is there a part of you that would mourn something you didn't get to do or experience yet? Or is there something of this world that you would miss too much?

Let's bring it down even more: What things do you prioritize over your Bible reading, prayer time, or going to worship God with the saints in church? All of these things are evidence of small ways that we might be loving the world too much.

May it never be said of us that we were too in love with this present world. May we not believe the lie that even the most beautiful things we see and experience in this world are more precious than what is awaiting us in the presence of the Lord in heaven. When you feel yourself inching toward danger, stop and ask the Lord to turn your eyes toward Him. Ask Him to help you see the worth of knowing Christ, as the "the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace," as the hymn says.