Lawn Mowing and Laundry

There are chores that need to be done on a regular basis.  Clothes need to be washed.  Shirts, pants, and dresses get smudged and spilled on.  They absorb sweat and oils and need a trip through the washer.  I wouldn’t even hazard a guess as to how many times my jeans have made the circuit through my washing machine and dryer.  This is something we understand when we buy our clothes: they will require maintenance.  We will need to wash them.  Our lawns are the same way.  Grass grows.  (Although sometimes my grass doesn’t cooperate with this assumption.)  And when it does, it needs to be mowed.  No one fertilizes and waters their yard, then mows it assuming they won’t ever need to mow again.  It’s a maintenance task that is part of any growing thing.  Homes require regular maintenance.  Carpets need to be vacuumed.  Even our bodies need regular care.

Our relationship with God is a lot like laundry, lawns, and carpets.  It requires regular maintenance.  You don’t become a Christian and then be done with all spiritual activity.  Belonging to Jesus is not a maintenance-free endeavor.  Salvation begins a life of diligent, regular maintenance.  While all our stains have been permanently washed away, we need to regularly refresh our connection with God.  We need to prune and trim away things that get in the way of our relationship with him.  We do this through prayer, Bible reading, community, and other spiritual disciplines.  What maintenance is your relationship with God due for today?