Lack of Maintenance

Last Saturday I drove on a road that I used to drive daily, but since my job change in 2008, I rarely use this particular road.

In 2008, the road traveled along the edge of a golf course.  The course has now closed; last Saturday, I was shocked to see that the land is unrecognizable as a golf course.  It's amazing to me that something can change so much when it is no longer maintained.

Our spiritual lives are like that, too.  When we don't strive to follow disciplines in our lives, when we forget to reach toward God, our spiritual lives can become unrecognizable.  Growth as a Christian requires two elements, I think.  The first is the sanctifying grace of God, and that is always available to us.  The second is our intentional effort to stretch and grow.  Without that, we stagnate, or even move farther away from God.