Well despite several phone calls this morning suggesting otherwise, I’m off today. I’m taking a break between ending my old job (yesterday) and starting my new job (tomorrow). And what a nice day to do it. Granted it’s cloudy outside but I’m sitting in my downtown loft with the windows open, using my new Wi-Fi signal (thanks Martha and Dan) and enjoying some tunes (thanks OrangeNoiseRadio). I’ve got to run some errands later today but after our men’s breakfast at Whataburger (Thomas that’s the Texas equivalent to your gathering places like pubs and coffee houses — only they focus on beef :-)) it’s nice to sit and reflect on Smiley’s devotional.
Smiley talked about Demas, a very little known individual mentioned by The Apostle Paul only three times.
Luke, good friend and physician, and Demas both send greetings. (Col 4:14)
Epaphras, my cellmate in the cause of Christ, says hello. Also my coworkers Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke. All the best to you from the Master, Jesus Christ! (Philemon 1:23)
Get here as fast as you can. Demas, chasing fads, went off to Thessalonica and left me here. (2 Tim 4:9)
Smiley pointed out that the first two references were likely within a year of each other and the last was likely six years later.
So a man came and worked with Paul and Luke. He became active and became a coworker in the ministry and then just a short time later (six years) he’s deserted the work and started chasing the fads of this world.
How many times do we fight that temptation in our lives?
We don’t know anything else about Demas. We don’t know if he found his way back to the ministry or if he simply went his own path.
Maybe he was burned our bored with the ministry. I can’t imagine that since he was working with and following Paul. But then again, even great Christian leaders can fail.
Even pastors can fail. I’m sure Paul’s heart ached to know that someone who worked closely with him was following the ways of the world. But Paul seems to give the issue up to God.
Whatever happened we don’t know but I pray that we can each grow stronger in our walk and don’t “Demas Out” as Smiley put it.
