I don’t know how it works in your house at Christmas, but I generally do all of the Christmas shopping for my family. My husband has one person to shop for…me. This past Saturday, I was asked to go to the mall and choose several things I liked and place them on “hold” for 24 hours and then he would go and look at the items I selected and choose a few things for me for Christmas. Part of me thought, “I wish everyone on my shopping list made it that easy for me” and then the other part of me was thrilled I would be getting things I wanted.
Shopping for clothes hasn’t always been a pleasant experience, especially since my body isn’t a shape or size that hangs on the rack without alterations. If it fits in the waist, it doesn’t seem to fit in the hips and so on. You get the idea. Yet, I must say, after spending 2 months working out, I found the shopping experience to be much more enjoyable than in past years. I realized all of my time and energy was beginning to pay off and I had fun shopping for clothes. I know I wouldn’t have enjoyed my shopping day nearly as much if I had not put forth the effort and time to get my body in better physical condition.
You know the same is true about our faith. Let me explain… I’ve been blessed to hear Beth Moore speak in person in Atlanta on two separate occasions. Both times she said people frequently stop her and say, “I want what you have.” I find myself asking, “Do they really?” Do they really want the knowledge and spiritual depth she demonstrates? If so, it’s available; however, you have to be willing to pay the price.
Just as I had to dedicate time and effort to getting my body in shape so I could reap the benefits of clothes fitting better and feeling good about myself, if we want to have the benefit of spiritual depth demonstrated by great teachers like Beth Moore and Billy Graham, we must be willing to invest the time and energy they do pouring over the Word of God each day. We must be willing to choose time in the Word over watching our favorite television show or time in the Word over sleeping late on the weekends. Nothing is ever gained with out effort and investment.
KJV Galatians 6:7 “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” So, what are you sowing?