Jump Start # 849

1 Timothy 4:15 “Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all.”

We are looking at this great passage from Paul to young Timothy. This is more than good advice that works, these things are essential to growth. Paul knew.

There are three expressions in this verse. Yesterday we looked at the last expression, “so that your progress will be evident to all.”  Today, we consider the middle expression, “be absorbed in them.”

Be absorbed in them. First, we must know what the “in them” is about. Earlier, Paul told Timothy, to “point out these things” to the brethren. That included warning them about some dangerous times that would come with false teaching.

He also said, “command and teach these things” (11). The “in them” is God’s word. That’s what Timothy was to stand upon and that is what Timothy was to teach. That is what was to occupy Timothy’s attention, mind and time. God’s word is what Timothy was to be absorbed in.

Absorbed. The NIV says, “give yourself wholly to them.” I like “be absorbed.” Soak it up. Be a sponge. Take in all that you can. We can understand that concept. When there is a spill at dinner, we want a paper towel that will absorbed the mess. Absorbing in this context involves learning, thinking, sharing, asking questions. This is not an easy concept for many of us. In school, we’ve learned how to study just enough to pass tests. We haven’t mastered the subject, only finishing the class. A day after the final, or in some cases, an hour after the final, far too many couldn’t tell you what the class was about. They didn’t learn. They certainly didn’t absorb. They attended with the intention of passing, and nothing more. We thrive on short cuts, condensed versions, simplified answers. We read just enough of the directions to complete the job. When we are confronted with something we don’t know, we ask just enough questions to get us through.

Absorbing carries the idea of being interested. Bored people do not get absorbed in things they are not interested in. Put on an old black and white movie and most kids today would run from the room screaming. No interest there.

We absorb what we are interested in. Some can tell you everything about their favorite team, their favorite singer, their favorite movie and their favorite hobby. Why? They are interested in those things. They have put time, money and effort into those things. They follow them. Absorption begins with interest.

Now our interest can change. Mine has. I was never a fan of classical music growing up. We had music appreciation in grade school, but it all sounded the same to me. Beethoven, Bach, Brahms were not my taste. I liked another “B” group—The  Beatles. Then I met miss Debbie. She was a piano major in college. She loved the Classical. She understood them and was interested in them.  I started going to concerts with her, not rock ’n roll, but classical concerts. I did a lot of whispering because I didn’t understand a thing. The more we dated, the more I liked classical music. We have been to many concerts, even one in Vienna, Austria. She was playing a song for the kids one day and asked them who the composer was. I nailed it! She was shocked. What happened was that my interests changed. The same can happen to us spiritually. It may be a person that introduces us to the Bible. It may be our own study. Once we start getting interested, the absorption follows.

Paul wanted Timothy to be a spiritual sponge. Take it all in. Soak it up. Be filled. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you. Make this your passion, your interest, your ambition, your goal. Make this you. This is how Christ lives in us. This is how Christ becomes our life. This is how we walk by faith.

These thoughts are a lot different than being spoon fed every Sunday and hanging around on the outskirts of God’s word. Dive in. Get immersed into God’s word. Be absorbed in them.

Let me share with you some absorbing stories:

1. I know a man, he’s a senior citizen, who prints every one of these Jump Starts and keeps them in a notebook. He’s a quiet, humble man but he has the heart as big as a mountain. He’s still absorbing.

2. I know a family that recently traveled over two hours one way to hear the Gospel preached in a meeting. That’s a long way. It’s not far, however, when you have a hunger and an interest.

3. I know a man who reads through the Bible every year. He’s been doing this for years.

4. I know a guy who is a hoarder of religious material. He collects old class books, bulletins, religious magazines and anything he can get his hands on. He reads everything he collects. Folks turn to him when they need information, because he has it.

5. I’ve seen many people taking detailed notes during sermons. They underline in their Bibles, and write things in the margins. They are absorbing.

6. There are some people overseas who traded their dinner to get a Bible.

7. I’ve heard stories from long ago of families selling war bonds so they could have enough gas to drive to a gospel meeting.

8. I heard of an old preacher that was teaching a class. He was reading an entire chapter of Ephesians. Someone commented that his Bible was upside down. He smiled. He quoted the entire chapter by memory.

We start early by teaching the little ones the books of the Bible. We build upon that, adding layer upon layer of more thoughts, insights and observations.

Do you know what happens when you squeeze a sponge that has been sitting at the bottom of a bucket full of soapy water? Soapy water comes out. What happens when a Christian is squeezed by the world? The word of God will come out. It just happens because he has absorbed the word.

Interest…passion…absorbing…becoming!

Roger