Move On!

For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. (1 Timothy 4:8 NIV)

Over my years of writing devotions, I have often written on the similarities of keeping up a healthy physical and spiritual life.  They are both about forming good habits;  They are both a struggle, but we always feel so much better when we are using good strategies; They are both about growth.  However, yesterday I discovered  a way in which regular exercise and spiritual study are NOT the same:

The beginning of this summer was so very hot.  I decided it wasn't a good idea to go hiking by myself  in such weather.  Which is probably true, but it led to a plethora of other "good" excuses.  The weather has finally turned somewhat cooler and I couldn't think of another good excuse, so I took off for the South Mountains yesterday.  It had been over two months since my last hike so I hiked the shorter loop.  And WOW  am I feeling it today!!

And there is the difference.  If you get slack in your spiritual study, you don't have to start all over!  You can just pick up where you left off, or start somewhere completely different.  In my early days of trying to read the Bible, I would start at Genesis 1:1.  Inevitably, I would lose my excitement and quit, and the next time I felt motivated I would again start at Genesis 1:1.  I didn't really make any progress until I decided I would quit rereading what I had already read and move on.

So if you are struggling with reading the Bible, try just moving on!  Maybe just start on a different book.  I would randomly select books and just put a checkmark at the top of it so I would know that I read it.  You can either just read through the Bible and go back to study in more depth, or you can study as you read.  There are an endless amount of tools to help you.  If you have the YouVersion app, you can even read the notes that other folks have written.

The great thing is, you never lose the work you have already put in like you do with physical exercise.  No matter how long it has been, just pick it back up and move on!

Father,
Thank you for the gift of your word to study and learn.  Help us to take full advantage of it.  Amen.

Joys:  back on the trail... even though I hurt today; Emma's due date.... I hope she arrives today!; Richard coming home soon.