This and That - Occasional faith-faithfulness?

And it is an argument of very mean attainments, of a low and weak degree in this frame of heart, or in our being spiritually minded, when our thoughts of spiritual things do rise or fall according unto renewed occasional convictions. If when we are under rebukes from God in our persons or relations, in fears of death and the like, and withal have some renewed convictions of sin in commission, for omission of duties, and thereon do endeavor to be more spiritually minded in the constant exercise of our thoughts on spiritual things, which we fail in, and these thoughts decay as our convictions in the causes of them do wear off or are removed, we have attained a very low degree in this grace, if we have any interest in it at all.

Owen, John (2011-09-27). Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded [Illustrated] (Kindle Locations 468-473).  . Kindle Edition.

Does your attention to the duties and disciplines of our faith wax and wane according to the nature of your circumstances?  Mine did – and I pray won’t any longer.

It is a commonly accepted thing that we are never more active in our faith than when it becomes obnoxiously obvious that we are not in control.  When things hit the oscillating blades we are very quick to hit our knees – but where were we before?

Faith may have medicinal benefits but it’s like many medicinal remedies – you have to stick to the regimen for the medicine to be effective.  Or consider physical exercise – if it’s not regularly engaged in then its value and effect is irregular – even useless.

Faith must be exercised or it will atrophy.  Prayer, study, fellowship, worship and good works are all part and parcel of our faith.  At its most basic it is a matter of obedience.  If we believe that Jesus is Lord of lords and that He is our Lord then we have to believe that obeying Him is the only course we may take.

This has been written of and debated to the point of silliness.  A King is a King is a King.  A subject is a subject is a subject.  A subject OWES the King their allegiance, their obedience.  When they withhold it, it is treason, rebellion.  When this happens it is in the King’s authority to have the rebel executed, banished from the Kingdom or at the very least denied the benefits of being a subject of the King.

When our obedience, “do rise or fall according unto renewed occasional convictions,” we are not faithful subjects – we are rebels and justly deserve to be seen and treated as such. 

To deflect the just and rightful response from the King we are prone to engage in hyper-loyal activities and attitudes.  But, when the King restores us we are prone to lay aside the duties and obligations we own our King.

Owen rightly states that, “these [spiritual, obedient, submissive] thoughts decay as our convictions in the causes of them do wear off or are removed, we have attained a very low degree in this grace, if we have any interest in it at all.”

For me it was a painful cycle of hitting a wall – getting all Christianly energized, calling out to my sovereign Lord to intervene and then when I felt I was over the wall I told Him, “Thank you, I’ve got it from here.”  To which I’m sure He must have snickered and thought, “Yeah, right, will you never learn?”

It’s a failure on our part to really work to see, “What God has done for us lately.”  We look for the goodies we want from Him the kudos even worldly kudos and when we don’t see them, we don’t think He’s done anything for us lately.  OK – at least I did.

But, for me, this last wall has been different.  Not worse than any previous wall but different.  The big difference is that I have recognized that since I hit that wall I have not had a single day when He did not provide everything – and I mean everything I needed for that day.

Oh, I have needs I see out ahead of me but He’s there, I’m not, so it must be His problem.  If He shows me what I can do today to prepare of next Thursday then I will do it.  But today at 11:30 am I am simply preparing for 11:31 am.  I might not be alive at 11:31 am but I’m preparing for it.  I am asking Him for all I need for (ok time moves) 11:32 am because I don’t know I will be alive at 11:33 am.

In my work as a consultant and counselor I cringe when people tell me they are really good under pressure.  That usually means they work to keep themselves under pressure so they can be “good.” 

When we get in the rut of doing it on our own and not exercising our faith obediently, regularly and diligently and we get used to falling to our knees in desperation we are in deep trouble.  I’ve had folks say things like, “Every time I outrun God He rescues me,”  “Every time I get in trouble I go to God and He helps me.”  Ultimately I have to ask – “Why don’t you go to Him all the time – regularly and work to live obediently.”  They don’t like that – so I’m a legalist.

Yes, things come our way that are tough but we don’t need to be unprepared.  God does not have to be the last resort when He’s the everyday resort.  We don’t have to run to the throne if we live at the foot of it.  We don’t have to run around seeking God it we keep ourselves continually in His presence.

I used to brag that God had to hit me in the head to get my attention.  A brother who loves me said, “That’s pretty stupid Michael – why do you make Him do that?”  Ouch!  But my brother was absolutely right.  If I pay constant attention to Him, He always has my attention.  If I am dutiful in my duties them I am always ready. 

In his huge but wonderful book The Christian in Complete Armour, William Gurnall makes the point that we are told to put on the whole armor of God but we are never told to take it off.  His point being that we must put it on and keep it on – 24/7/365-.