Spiritual Maintenance

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   One of the ongoing responsibilities of home ownership is maintenance. I am amazed at how quickly a yard can get out of control. As I sit here at my desk writing this, my right arm is a bit sore from all the yard work I did yesterday, and I am still amazed how much there is to be done. Weeding, tilling, mowing..., the list of chores seems to be endless, and because plants keep growing, the tasks never seem to be complete. Keeping up on things requires regular, disciplined attention if the yard is to remain looking nice. I have to admit, this is not something I am very consistent with.

   In 1 Timothy 4:7-8, Paul writes, "But have nothing to with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds the promise for the present life and also for the life to come." Here Paul is comparing the discipline of an athlete with the discipline of the Christian life. There is some temporal benefit to physical discipline, but that discipline remains only for the present life and ends with our death. However, godliness benefits us both for now and into eternity. 

   In the same way that I need to work regularly and consistently to maintain my yard by weeding, mowing, and watering so that the things that shouldn't be in my yard are removed and the things that should be there continue to grow, so I need to confess my sin, commit to regular fellowship, and feed myself on God's word so that I remove those things from my life that shouldn't be there and I grow in those thing that should remain. Let me encourage each of us to continue in the daily, delightful discipline of the pursuit of godliness, trusting that God will bring about the benefit in this life and in the life to come.