Effort

Did you know that a cat can instantly determine if its body will fit through a hole if its whiskers don’t touch the sides? If you’ve been around cats much, you may have seen one start into a hole of some kind, in a fence or a box, or whatever, and suddenly do a “head jerk” backwards and turn off in another direction. It’s whiskers told it the hole was too small and it wasn’t going to fit through it!

The cat doesn’t have to put out much effort because of the way it’s made, i.e. whiskers. Rarely is a cat seen with it’s head (or body) caught in something, but it does happen.

Human beings get themselves stuck in all kinds of things with just as little effort. Then a great deal of effort is required to get them out of it. You hear stories of people getting stuck in chimneys, between walls, or their heads stuck in between an iron rail fence or steps etc., which usually instigates a response from the fire department.

What we really get stuck in is Sin. And that takes very little effort! Stop going to church, reading the Bible, praying, hanging out with Christian friends, ignore that still small voice inside your head that is saying “Hey!! WHAT are you doing??” Piece of cake; you’ll be up to your eyeballs in sin and misery in no time. But you probably won’t even notice. The deception is very subtle.

Effort is what it takes to maintain a healthy Spiritual life, and a lot of it.  A LOT of it.

If we don’t put any effort in sustaining our faith, our faith WILL wilt. Jesus didn’t save you and then say “go do whatever you want to,” but He said “IF you love ME you will do my commandments.”

³⁶ “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

³⁷ Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ⁴⁰ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”   (Matthew 22)

³ His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.
⁴ Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
⁵ For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;
⁶ and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;
⁷ and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.
⁸ For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
⁹ But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. (2 Peter 1)

¹³ But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.
¹⁴ So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. (2 Peter 3)

Put some effort into it every day – read your Bible, pray often, encourage one another, especially those in the family of God. Stand strong, be courageous. Let your light so shine among people that they will want what you have, the transcending presence and power of Christ in your life and a peace beyond all understanding.