"The Tripod" (Part 1)

Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith. (1 Timothy 1:18-19 NIV).

My son, David, texted me to let me know he had spent the evening putting a new plywood base on the tripod and said, “It is as good as new.” A little background is in order for most of the readers of Morning Devotionals so that this opening illustration will be as meaningful as possible.

The “tripod” is a deer hunting stand made and given to me in 1984. It is made out of metal, with the exception of the seat and floor, welded together on three legs - hence the name “tripod.” There are lots of commercially available stands that are similar, but none that I know of that have stood the test of time like this one. Some of my friends had made it and delivered to my house in the middle of the night on Christmas Eve that year. They set it up on the sidewalk directly out of the front door! Welded into the main brace under the platform is my name. It was a complete surprise and has reminded me of the great relationship I enjoyed with these men all of these years. There has not been a year that it has not been used. I might even say “abused” considering the elements of heat and cold; rain, snow, and ice; and general outdoor use it has endured!

Hearing that David had it ready for the 2010 season with so little repair reminded me of a very important spiritual truth. The Apostle Paul leaves Timothy some last instructions before his imminent death. He says, “…hold on to the faith and a good conscience.” Some might argue that this is a call to obedience or works that Timothy might prove his worthiness in God’s eyes. I personally believe it is a call to remember the unchangeable fundamentals of God’s grace. Just like the tripod was built to last. The frame is nearly indestructible. Oh, there are parts that need attenti0on from time to time. The seat swivel needs to be oiled so it won’t squeak when you turn in it. The wooden platform needs to be replaced every few years. But, the basic construction was so sound that nothing about it needs to be changed.

There are those things about our Christian lives that are fundamental. They are essential to the faith. These are things like the atoning death of Jesus or the resurrection. These things form the frame, or foundation, of what we believe as Christians. They make us who we are in contrast to others who may be religious, but not Christian. We’re going to look at those things in the coming days. The list is shorter than you might think. And, we are much more alike across denominations than we are different in these matters. Today I challenge you as Paul did Timothy, “Hold on to the faith!