June 14, 2020
by Peggy Simmons
“I press on toward the goal to win the prize of which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:14
We have two wonderful sons that we love very much. Growing up our youngest, Caleb, had a very laid back attitude where house work was concerned. He didn’t see the need in making up a bed if you were going to get right back in it that night. Why do you need to mow the grass, it is just going to grow right back. And why do you want to wash dishes isn’t that the reason God created paper plates.
I must admit that as a house wife there are a ton of jobs I do and just keep doing over and over and over again. I rewash dishes, I remake beds, I redo my makeup, I resweeps the floors, I redust everything; anyway? Hopefully you see where I am going with this.
There are things we have to do over and over again every day to keep our house in order. So how do you think your house would look if you only washed dishes once a month? Or you only sweep the floor when the dirt got so deep you were leaving tracks as you walked? And you only dusted when you couldn’t find something because the dust was so thick? To have a happy healthy lifestyle we have to keep things reasonably in order.
I was just thinking! There are some things in our spiritual life that God asks us to do over and over again.
Keep Confessing – Not because we have to tell God what we have already done, He already knows, but because when we confess our sin to Him we are agreeing with Him we have sinned and we are willing to turn from it. First John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sin He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Keep Forgiving – Jesus forgave us. He tells us in Matthew 19:21-22, “’How many times am I to forgive my brother when he sins against me up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you not seven times but seventy-seven times.’” What He means is we shouldn’t even keep track with how many times we forgive someone. We should always forgive anyone who repents no matter how many times they ask.
Keep Loving – When Jesus came He gave us two commandments. If we can get those two right all the others will fall into place. Matthew 22:36-39 says this, “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law? Jesus replied, ‘Love the Lord you God with all you heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Now what would you think about it. How would your spiritual house look like if you only confessed your sin when you go so weighted down that you felt separated from God? And how high would your spiritual dust pile up if you only forgave when your relationships were so broken and so messed up that you felt completely alone and friendless. How would the bedroom of your spiritual life look if you only loved others on Sunday?
My laid back son’s favorite verse is Philippians 3:14. It reminds us to keep on keeping on. “I press on toward the goal to win the prize of which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
Lord, help us to keep on keeping on. To remember we are commanded to confess, forgive and love. Help us to do it every day so we can keep our spiritual home in order. In Jesus name, Amen.