Howard's Blog : Ethos

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7

Getting in shape.

My twelve year old son made a New Year resolution to clean his teeth at night as well as the morning! This is not a place to discuss our parenting skills, such as why has this taken us so long to get him to get to this point or the personal hygiene of boys. But seven days in and he is still reaching for the Aquafresh , he is particular about the brand, Aldi's own will not do! It will take him about 12 weeks to turn this choice into a habit that reduces decay and freshens his breath.

I guess that thousands of Christians who made a New Year decision to read their bibles through in a year are already behind, and most will give up with a "there is always next year" shrug, before the spiritual self feeding habit is developed.

My reflection and experience is how we approach our God given desire to live by his word critically determines the outcome.

If you view reading through the bible in a year as a rule you must keep, expecting the rule to create transformation then you are doomed to fail. Rules don't empower they simply lead to condemnation as they remind you how badly you are performing. Even if you are a highly organised, rigidly scheduled, gold-star-loving early riser, keeping this rule often results only in self - righteous pride.

Perhaps we need a training mentality. Paul encouraged the young Timothy to "train yourself to be Godly." 1 Tim 4:7 Training is deeper than rules; it allows you to do something you couldn't do by just turning up. You may know the rules of the marathon but without training you couldn't run one. Training is about regularly doing what you can now, so that you are able to do what once seemed beyond you.

I have often spoken with people struggling with sin or dark temptations who would say to me "I want to be free but I just can't". Jesus said to his disciples ."watch and prayer so that you will not fall into temptation, for the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak" Mark 14:38. Although I believe Jesus was eager to encourage his disciples to pray with him right there in the agony of Gethsemane, I believe he was expressing the truth that the activities (the watching, praying and bible reading) of spiritual training are vital if we to live God first lives. The truth is watch and pray and you will not fall again for that familiar temptation and live free.

So as you set yourself the spiritual training programme of reading your bible every day or reading through in a year or even two, remember this activity is not a barometer of your holiness or a way to earn reward points with God, as "the goal is not for you to get through the Scriptures. The goal is to get the Scriptures through you". When you meet people who make bible reading their habit you notice they have less spiritual decay and their spirits (breath) are fresher.

Howard
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