Paul or Demas?

“Do your best to come to me quickly, for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. “     
 2 Timothy 4:9

Why would someone spend a large majority of their life serving and then all of a sudden desert the mission they had been on? 

Upon reading this verse I began to think about this question.  Why did Demas desert Paul in his final days?  Was it  for money, popularity, public opinions, or fear of life?  Overtime, Jesus had no place in Demas's life.  Compare Paul's life at this moment...he's in his final days and serving the kingdom still.  Demas, though, he has decided to chase after the pleasures of this world instead.  Paul mentions Demas in his finals days because he know the work isn't done.  He knows that someone has given up and that there is more kingdom work to be done.  So, I began to think about my own life.

In reading this, my practical application for my life was:  What am I (we) running away from?  Or what am I (we) running to in life? 

Paul and Demas had choices on how they chose to live their life.  We all have choices on how we are to spend our days.  I love how when you read on in Paul's remarks he says this in 2 Timothy 4:16-17:

"At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me.  But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed..."


Man, how awesome is that?!?!  I may have gone through hard things in the past and still will go through hard things now and in my future....BUT I'm reminded in this verse to NEVER desert Christ or walk out.  Christ has never left my side.  He has given me strength everyday to proclaim truth and goodness to this world. 


So in reading this passage I think to myself...how do I want to live my life....do I want to chose to love this world and all that the world tells me I need to do or love?  OR do I chose to be like Paul and choose Christ who (vs. 18) "will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom?"


It's my prayer that in my life I choose to love less of the world and more of Christ.