Leaves in the Gutter

The rain gutters on my house were overflowing ... with leaves! The big old oak tree is doing its Fall thing and I think every tenth leaf managed to land in the rain gutter. So, I got out my ladder, cleaned the leaves out of the gutters, and flushed out the downspouts. What's the deal? Why bother cleaning the gutters anyway? They’re just going to get full again. IF I just left the leaves in those gutters, the water would not drain away. Come winter, the standing water would freeze into large blocks of ice extending onto the roof. The winter rain then would not be able to run off and the moisture would work its way under the shingles, eventually rotting the roof boards. A little exertion prevents major damage.

So many things are like that. Regular oil changes can easily be overlooked and the engine won’t stop immediately, but the increased wear of dirty oil will definitely cause a shorter service life. Preventative maintenance is easy to overlook. Given time; there is a price to pay.

The principle holds when it comes to our spiritual health, too. For example, take attendance at church. You can be a Christian without regularly going to church. You won’t be as effective but you can have saving faith, apart from being in your local church. (Amazing statement from a veteran Pastor, eh?) You can read your Bible, pray, trust Christ, and make Sunday a play day: golfing, fishing, and picnicking with family. Short term you won't see much impact on your life. You might even feel some relief about getting rid of the need to be up and out on Sunday AM. A subtle erosion of spiritual health will begin that will not be noticeable for quite some time. Gradually, the edge will go out of your faith. Without teaching that helps you to apply the unchanging Word to an ever-changing world your spiritual understanding will stagnate. From your example, your kids will conclude that church is just one of life’s options, and as young adults, they will all most certainly discard church attendance all together, along with saving faith.

Neglecting to read the Scripture on a daily basis won't cause you to immediately descend into gross immorality.
Failure to engage in generous giving won't make you into Ebenezer Scrooge in a year's time.
Failure to pray won't turn you into an atheist overnight!
But... long term a failure to practice these things will bring on spiritual flab. Your spiritual ears will miss the 'still, small voice of God.' Your spiritual eyes will not perceive His hand at work. Your short prayers will turn into childish whimpers and whines... 'bless me, give me, help me.'

Here is wisdom from the Word.
"Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and become wise! Though they have no prince or governor or ruler to make them work, they labor hard all summer, gathering food for the winter. But you, lazybones, how long will you sleep? When will you wake up? A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber." (Proverbs 6:6-11, NLT)

Clean out the gutters today!
Make an investment in doing the small things. Amazingly- the big stuff will take care of itself!

_______________

My eyes are dry,
my faith is old.
My heart is hard
my prayers are cold.
And I know how
I ought to be,
Alive in You, and
dead to me!

Oh, what can be done
For an old heart like mine?
Soften it up with oil and wine.
The oil is You,
Your Spirit of love;
Please wash me anew
In the wine of Your blood.

My Eyes Are Dry
© 1978 Birdwing Music
Ears To Hear
BMG Songs, Inc. (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)ü(Admin. by BMG Music Publishing)
(Admin. by BMG Music Publishing)ü(Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)
(Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)ü(Admin. by BMG Music Publishing)

Keith Green

CCLI License No. 810055