Day One Hundred Twenty-Two “Maintenance”
When I married my hubby many years ago, I was quite clueless about a number of things, but especially cars. The poor man had to explain basic automotive maintenance to his new bride, stressing the importance of checking car fluids on a regular basis, for after all, oil is cheap; engines are expensive. A few decades later, he still protects the engines of our vehicles with scheduled oil changes and tire rotations. That maintenance may seem frivolous to some, but it protects our investment, stretches the life span of those vehicles, and makes us better stewards of God’s money.
When we neglect our spiritual maintenance, disaster is bound to follow. King David, that servant of God, that “man after God’s own heart” gives us a vivid example of the results of poor maintenance. David had been faithful to his God, brave, bold, trusting, yet humble. But somewhere, behind the scenes, he allowed the fire of his devotion to cool. We see the resulting chaos in the Book of I Kings, chapter 11. Instead of leading his troops, we read that David “tarried still at Jerusalem,” shirking his duty and sending his servants to the battle instead. We notice that at “eveningtide…David arose from off of his bed.” This is the same man who promised God that “My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD;” but now we find David sleeping late into the day, arising from his bed, and neglecting to focus his attention on his God. Instead, he strolls along the roof of his house and notices Bathsheba “washing herself.” Run the other way, David, run! But he doesn’t run, for his spiritual defenses are depleted, and this woman Bathsheba “was beautiful to look upon.” The trap had been set by Satan and David had been snared.
King David is on a downward spiral from this point, spinning spiritually out of control. But where did it start? What did he neglect that allowed Satan to gain this foothold in his life? We are not told the beginning point of the demise, but somewhere along the line David neglected his spiritual maintenance. God does, however, pull the curtain back on the ugly fruits borne from his backsliding: the treacherous murder of his faithful soldier, the loss of the life of an infant, the attempted coup of his kingdom, the death of two of his adult sons, the humiliation of his daughter, and more importantly, his broken fellowship with God. David would eventually confront his sin, plead for forgiveness, and restore his walk with his God, but he would carry the sorrow and pain of this episode to his death bed.
God includes examples in His Word for our admonition, for we are all susceptible to a spiritual disaster similar to David’s. How do we begin our day? Before checking emails, social media, the news, and traffic, let’s prioritize the maintenance of our spiritual vessel, spending time in prayer, worship, meditation, thankfulness, and Bible study. Satan is on the prowl for Christians who have neglected to maintain themselves, those short on spiritual ammunition, those vulnerable for attack. Don’t allow him access!
Psalm 5:3 My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.
Lord, help me learn from the examples You provide. Help me to maintain my vessel by devoting time daily for prayer, Bible study, and meditation.
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