Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this. Psalm 37:4-5.

For I am determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 1 Corinthians 2:2.

Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:39.

Our next chapter, 1 Timothy 3, is Paul’s guidance for those who would serve in the churches the brethren loved by Creator God – Father, Son, Spirit. It is a trustworthy statement: If any man desires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do. An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money. He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?), and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil. And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not double-tongued, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain, but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. These men must also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach. Women must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things. Deacons must be husbands of only one wife, and good managers of their children and their own households. For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long; but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth. By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness: He who was revealed in the flesh, was vindicated in the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.

I thought about Paul’s words…the household of God…as I continued typing this chapter. Can we appreciate what Creator God has done for us? There was nothing greater He could give – so He gave Himself for us His children dearly loved. And He has entrusted to us the day to day needs we all have as we live in this world blessed to be learning and growing in the knowledge and understanding and relationship of family that is in and of Creator God. Jesus told us to be of good cheer even in the midst of the tribulations we will encounter living in this world and He said that right before He knew He would be brutally taken. And I struggle with understanding His overcoming the world when all around us I see hardship of every kind. And I realized that all the hardships I see are choices made by us, not God. So the work only He can do begins here where we are. And in His church, the household of God, of course He gives instructions that are for our good. Can we consider the trust and enormity of all that Creator God entrusts with us? He trusts us to shepherd one another and how are we doing? In our own life, our families, our churches, our nations? And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. 1 Peter 5:4.

I keep thinking about Jesus overcoming the world and our living in a world still filled with tribulations of every kind of our own making. And Peter said, Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right. 1 Peter 4:19. We can’t change the sufferings in this world and bring them to a needed ending. But we can entrust ourselves to a faithful Creator and do what is right that He has given for us to do. What is the greatest commandment in the Law, Jesus was asked. And He said…You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your mind…This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it…You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets. Matthew 22:37-40. How are we doing, really? Maybe that is what should be hung in our classrooms. We all of us need help to understand. Understanding only begins with God with us teaching us. The Chief Shepherd will shepherd us only as we are willing to be led by Him. Can we see how much He is needed in our world now and in us? Not our lording over others, never that. Our trusting God because He alone is worthy. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. That means something we can understand as we turn to Him who gave Himself for us. And He can guide your heart and mine toward all the healing joy we find with Him with us. How is your joy today?