I Knew This Would Happen

I knew this would happen.  I really wasn’t surprised.  It has happened before. Many of you have been there before me and could have reminded me.

During my sabbatical I joined a gym.  One of the goals of my sabbatical was to drop about five pounds and firm up what was left.  Initially Sharon and I went to the gym quite consistently three times each week.  Just before Anina passed away and our schedules were thrown for a loop, it was actually getting easier to go to the gym and my body was beginning to show progress.  There were abdominal muscles that could be felt even when they could not yet be seen.

But that was weeks ago.  This morning I went back to the gym for the first time in a long time.  I couldn’t just pick up where I left off.  It wasn’t totally like starting over, but it was close.

Last Sunday, as part of the worship at Santa Margarita Community Church, Matt Daniels shared a quote:  “Grow daily, or die gradually.”  If we fail to keep exercising our relationship with Christ, there are aspects of it that will atrophy.  He doesn’t change, but we do.  I still remember Dr. John G. Mitchell asking us at Multnomah School of the Bible, “Do we sin, resulting in broken fellowship with God, or do we break fellowship with God resulting in sin?”  (I think the answer is “yes,” but feel free to weigh in on the debate.)

When it comes to physical exercise, the good news is I can begin again.  The bad news is it will take more time and cost me more energy than if I had simply kept exercising.

When it comes to fellowship with Jesus, the good news is I can begin again.  The bad news is it will take more time and cost me more energy than if I had simply kept nurturing the relationship.  (This is also true of human-to-human relationships, by the way.)

So here's to starting again. It's beats the alternative of simply giving up and giving in to atrophy.