Divine Addiction

No one in their right mind deliberately hurts, injures, or destroys themselves.  They’re addicted to life.

Text for Today – 1 Corinthians 1615-16 –  I beseech you, brethren, ye (know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,) that ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth with us, and laboreth.

In our world, the term addiction carries a very negative connotation.  It means to be entrapped by something that will ultimately lead the addicted person to destruction.  It can refer to an addiction to substances or certain activities.  Substances like heroine, morphine, barbiturates, crack cocaine, and the like are among illegal drugs that cause additions.  While alcohol is legal, its abuse still causes addictions in so many people.  Then there are addictions to prescription drugs that occur when people abuse them.  And there are also addictions to activities that occur when a person’s activities cause hormonal and chemical actions within their body from the release of endorphins.  Among such are addictions to sex or gambling.  They are all addictions.

In all these cases, addictions are life-destroying, resource-robbing tools of Satan in the lives of people who are helpless in the grip of the addiction.  These addictions also create bonds that we don’t often consider, but they are very real and strong.  The bond to which I refer is exists between the addicted person and the person who supports that addiction, such as the drug dealer.  The addict would not deliberately hurt his dealer, as this would cut off his supply.  Neither would the dealer deliberately hurt a paying addict, as this would interrupt his cash flow.

Now consider our Text for Today again.  Consider what it means to be addicted to ministry.  I am an addicted supplier of ministry, and I can assure you that I would do nothing deliberately to hurt those to whom I minister.  It would be like cutting of my supply.  Likewise, I would never hurt my Master Supplier, Jesus, Who keeps me well supplied and furnished for ministry.  My desire is to please the Lord in all things and serve His people with excellence.  I need my fix, and I need it daily. 

Once again, look at our Text for Today.  We are encouraged, in fact, commanded to submit ourselves to such people.  A person truly addicted to ministry will serve you with all their heart, loving you as themselves, and loving and serving their Master Supplier with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, and they are safe as individuals to whom you can submit yourself.  By this you can know those who labor among you.

Manna for Today – Ephesians 4:8-10; Romans 12; 1 Corinthians 12