November 20, 2007

Proverbs 24:30-34 GW
(30) I passed by a lazy person's field, the vineyard belonging to a person without sense.
(31) I saw that it was all overgrown with thistles. The ground was covered with weeds, and its stone fence was torn down.
(32) When I observed this, I took it to heart. I saw it and learned my lesson.
(33) "Just a little sleep, just a little slumber, just a little nap."
(34) Then your poverty will come like a drifter, and your need will come like a bandit.

One can look at these scriptures and say they are about a man who does not take care of his house and farm. And that would be right. Any person who does not take care of these things will have a problem. Some can look at them and see a business lesson, ignoring your business can result in it falling apart. I do not fault either possibility. I do offer however a third.

The writer of Proverbs could be saying to us not to let our spiritual vineyard get into disrepair. So easy it would be to just sleep in on a Sunday morning, at least this week. And then next week you say the same thing. How easy it would be to skip my devotional time with God, or reading the Bible each day.

And if you do these things, just a little nibble here, a little nibble there, and you are into spiritual poverty. And though it will seem like it came in quickly, it was just your lack of will power that did it.

Tonight I faced that. I know there are only 10 people in the mailing list (though I would love more, I take what God gives me). I faced a grueling day today. I taught this morning for 3 hours, drove to work and worked for 4 hours and then took some time off that was coming to me. That time off was not for myself, it was to work at Parents Date night at my church. Parents got to drop kids off so they could go shopping, to a movie, etc. I got put in with the 2 and 3 year old children , though eventually we pulled out the 2 year old children to another room, 16 3 year old children was enough. When I got home I tried talking with my wife. I finally got to sit down to the computer to do this and it was midnight. I could have said forget it, no one is reading this anyway. But I knew, that a nibble here and a nibble here would eat away at my spiritual life.

So though it is late, some where in the world it is still Friday November 30. And I need to pray about tomorrows devotional and get some sleep.

Take time to get into a habit that will bring you closer to God, then keep at it. OK?