Dust Mites
But refuse profane and old wive’s fables, and exercise thyself rather unto ungodliness.
For bodily exercise profiteth little; but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.
…I Timothy 4:7-8
The exercise bike, untouched, sandwiched under layers of dust served only to be a reminder of one more thing we needed to be doing. Bill was going strong until the days became long and no time or energy was left at the end of the day. I didn’t miss though His complaining that his body screams when it sees the bike. This passage of scripture above is one of my husband’s favorites. He knows it by heart. …bodily exercise profiteth little…
Bill seems to have strong health, but he did scare me really bad one time, while holding his hand over the heart. Gasping for air, I saw him start to go down. I had accidentally changed the sports channel while he was on the stationary bike. That was his reaction to me changing channels. What drama! What a fake! I didn’t fall for it, for long.
My exercise is buying workout equipment each and every summer at garage sales, hauling them home, and back out for lack of use, to sell in another garage sale in the spring. Intentions are good anyway!
There are those who exercise their faith in this manner also. They are seasonal Christians, who appear a couple of times a year, weakened from the year’s battles, but hope to find strength in those couple of visits a year. Not enough done in their lives to make a difference, they have good intentions, but no more than that.
Weakened by the arrows blow, Satan has convinced many Christians this is all there is in Christ. They become cold and calloused to the wooing of the Holy Spirit, out of shape, and out of reach. Like the exercise—2 or 3 times a year--it’s the same as no exercise at all. If there was an emergency and had to run for help, they would prove to be out of shape, to be able to get help in time.
Christian! People, family and friends need you! They are weak and literally look to you to see how you re-act to urgent situations and to see if what you have is worth wanting. Are you so weakened that your family is no longer looking to you, or even desire to exercise their faith. Help them find their way back by you, yourself, exercising true faith in God. Your legacy of truth and commitment will be heard of for years to come.
Dust the off your Bible, buried under the TV Guide, and learn from Him. But you say, “There are too many hypocrites in the church!” There will be one less now.
