A few years ago, I bought a nice new bike. I was a special order since I’m a very tall guy, a bike that would actually fit me. I thought of myself as a “cyclist”. And I wanted a bike that would be comfortable ride a lot.
A few years earlier, I rode my old bike (which didn’t fit so well) 2,000 miles in a year. It took real dedication to make that happen, and I didn’t meet the goal until December 31st. But I made it.
I just looked at my tracking software, and that was back in 2014 – 11 years ago.
That new bike is sitting in my garage right now with a flat tire. And if I’m totally honest with you, I’ve only ridden my bike once this year – back in January.
Here’s the big question for you: Would you consider me a cyclist?
You can’t take away the great record of 2014. You can’t take away the bike that I own (although I don’t know that I would even fit in any of my cycling clothes today…). I look back on my history and I have great stories to tell about biking (fastest ride, longest ride…). I could sound like a cyclist….
But I’m betting that you’re sitting there reading this saying, “Yeah, Dennis, but a cyclist has to be riding their bike.”
And I would agree with you. I WANT to be a cyclist, I REMEMBER being a cyclist, but right now I’m not.
It’s the same thing for our spiritual walk. I think a lot of Christians treat it the same way I’ve treated being a cyclist.
They remember a time in their life when they were at a spiritual high. They quickly lose track of how long ago that happened. Maybe it was when they were in school, or when their kids were little… But the years have slipped by and that’s an increasingly faint memory. They point to a shelf full of outstanding study resources they’ve purchased – but not opened in a very very long time.
This is the challenge with the Christian walk. It’s not enough to do it really well once, or for a period of time. The goal is to do it well consistently. As in all the time. As in today.
Christian walk isn’t something that we look back on, it’s something that we do.
And this isn’t an academic exercise. The stakes are really high. In the balance is the statement from Jesus, “Well done, My good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord.”
1 Corinthians 3:13 makes it really blunt: “Everyone’s work will be put on display, for the Day (of the Lord) will expose it and the work will be revealed by surviving the testing fire, and the fire will declare what kind of work every single person has done.” (Stevenson Paraphrase)
Yes, maybe that great year will come through with gold, silver and precious stones. That will be a joy to see. But what about today? How about yesterday? Will it be revealed in the fire to be hay, wood and stubble?
Here’s the good news.
You have a new heart. One that wants to please God. One that is empowered by the Holy Spirit. You are fundamentally different from the non-believers around you.
You can’t do anything about yesterday, or last week, or last month, or even the last year. They are done and past. Their fiery test has already been set. But you can do something about today.
Let me encourage you to lean into God’s word. I am quite confident that time spent in God’s word will come through The Day all bright and sparkly. It will not be burned up.
What can you do? There are many different options. I always suggest get back into reading your Bible. If you’re out of practice (out of shape in my cycling metaphor), that’s a great way to start to tone your muscles. I’ve long been an advocate of the practice pf reading your Bible through every year (ever since I realized I was resting on my laurels there too).
Beyond that you could…
- Journal on what you read, reflecting on what God’s word says and what stands out for you. Take time to apply what you read to your life.
- Memorize God’s Word. King David says “thy word I have hidden in my heart that I might not sin against Thee.” Very sage advice. A life spent memorizing God’s word will not be the same.
- Study God’s Word. This is a step beyond reading, but comes with much greater reward. Not only is it reading God’s Word but it’s going deep into what God says and allowing that to shape your life.
- Study about God’s Word. In small doses, this is ok. But I wouldn’t do too much if it means you aren’t reading the Bible. But there is a case to be made that studying about God’s word is beneficial if it means that it helps you understand what you’re reading.
This is my mantra. It’s the one thing I go back to. I don’t want you to be a Christian like I’m a cyclist. Don’t live on past greatness or what you “could do” (if you wanted to and had the discipline in place to make it happen).
If you need help with this, do something! Ask a friend for advice. Talk to a pastor or a spiritual mentor in your life. I write books to help with this exact challenge.
https://www.dennis-stevenson.com/read-the-bible/
I’ve got a variety of options to help you get back in the practice of putting God’s word first. Whether you want to understand the Bible better, learn how to study it, or unlock whole new sections of God’s word for deep dives.
If this makes you uncomfortable, good. You probably need some encouragement and motivation to do the right thing. Take a step today. Tomorrow is too long to wait when Jesus is watching and wanting you to respond to His sacrifice.
But I love you in Christ, and don’t want you to suffer needlessly in The Day when the fire makes everything plain.
Until next time 🙂
Dennis
