“My bank account is flush with cash. The estate was settled, and my chunk of change exceeded my wildest dreams – not that one should ever dream about such things! I’ve never had it so good. But it takes too much effort to upgrade things and to buy a new house and car. I can’t be bothered. I’ll just put up with our little shack and rusted-out truck with bald tires. I really do hate the bank thing –  online banking and even the ATM. And then, there still seems to be some things that require an old-fashioned cheque. The annoyance of finding the cheque book in my cluttered drawer and the hassle of tracking down a pen (I’m always losing pens!) is enough to dampen my interest in upgrades. So I will just make do with what I’ve got. Accessing my account is too much bother. It’s not worth it!”

Spiritually we are often guilty of a similar attitude.

The children of Israel, after years of wandering in a wilderness, finally made it over to Canaan – the Promised Land. They had been dreaming about it for decades. They made it across the river, and then they settled down on the other side. Seven of the twelve tribes all huddled together in a fraction of the territory that was available to them.

Had they forgotten that the Lord said: “Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you?” (Joshua 1:3) Why aren’t they moving out and claiming the new land? Why are they all stuck there? Why don’t they start enjoying the Promised Land in all its fullness and the vastness of its hills and valleys, streams and fields? Are they still afraid of the giants? Is it too much effort to relocate and settle in new territory? Have they become complacent and lazy in their comfort zones – more commonly known as stuck-in-a-rut?

Commander Joshua said to them:

And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, How long are you slack (put off or neglect) to go to possess the land, which the LORD God of your fathers hath given you? Joshua 18:3

If we are slack Christians, we will never get to enjoy in our lifetime even a fraction of all that is ours in Christ Jesus. The Letter to the Ephesians talks about our spiritual inheritance and how we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 1:3) But it requires focus and fervour, dedication and diligence, and good-old-fashioned work to claim all that belongs to us.

How much effort am I putting into my Christian life? Occasionally people say their life is boring. Some might say they are depressed with their Christian life and others sadly wonder if it’s all as good as it’s cracked up to be. But honestly, how much effort am I putting into Christian living? Maybe I feel the way I’m feeling because I am a born-again slacker. If I put the same amount of effort into my job, would the employer give me a pay raise? If I studied my academic books as often as I studied my Bible, would I pass my exams?

There’s unlimited power and guidance available to us through Christ Jesus. It’s been sitting in our bank account since the day of our salvation. We just have to go to our account more often and make withdrawals more frequently. The amazing thing about it is – we can go to the account as often as we wish, and the supply will never be diminished. Is it too much hassle to find our bank card and go to the ATM for a withdrawal? Too much hassle to find a pen to write another cheque?  Don’t be a poor spiritually-rich slacker.

“Lord, help me to be serious about living for Christ each day. I want to be a diligent Christian and experience and enjoy the riches that are mine in Christ Jesus.”

Newest Video in Idioms Series: “Don’t Put All Your Eggs in One Basket.”

Walk carefully and closely with the Lord today.

Warmly in Christ,

Peter Ramsay

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