Soul Maintenance

“Because of laziness the roof caves in, and because of negligent hands the house leaks.” (Ecclesiastes 10:18, CSB)

As I pulled my car out of the garage this week, I noticed a piece of trim over the garage door was sagging in one spot. Note to self: remember to find hammer and nail to tighten it up. Otherwise, soon that entire piece will start pulling away from the frame. Some preventive maintenance is needed. It’s one of the joys of homeownership—the constant need to stay alert for minor issues before they become a major repair.

Many things we do in life aren’t to fix what is broken. We expend time and money because preventive care is better—and more cost effective—than ignoring something until a calamity happens. We routinely (I hope) change the car’s oil, rotate the tires, change the furnace filter, and replace the smoke alarm batteries. We floss daily, take a vitamin pill, and go for annual physicals and dental cleanings. Yes, each of these things can be postponed or ignored without any noticeable effect for a while. But then . . . oh! Repair can cost much more than upkeep. Real wisdom comes in fixing something before it breaks.

With the busy lifestyle most of us live, it is easy to become absentminded about routine maintenance. This is not tire rotation or furnace filter talk now. I mean the spiritual habits that keep us in tune with God. A little preventive care goes a long way in sustaining a strong relationship with Him.

Most of us do not intentionally let relationships slip. It is more a matter of neglecting to keep in touch—whether a favorite cousin, an old classmate, or someone from back home. Relationships require time to maintain. The same is true in our walk with God. Deuteronomy 4:9 cautions:

“Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life.”

James 1:25 warns us not to be a “forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work.” Something ignored or forgotten long enough will drop completely from our lives. We don’t even realize it’s gone. Second Corinthians 13:5 admonishes to “examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.”

 A simple checklist may help us see if we are maintaining our spiritual life. Let us examine how we are:

• Keeping our daily devotional time.
• Devoting ourselves to in-depth study of the Word.
• Seeking opportunities to share the gospel.
• Developing Christ-like attitudes and actions.
• Staying faithful to God’s house.
• Giving of our time and money.
• Cultivating spiritual fruit.
• Placing God first in everything.

When a new year begins, we often create a list of resolutions—things to accomplish or ways we want to improve. Unfortunately, a month or two into the year most of those good intentions have been forgotten. We aren’t more organized; we haven’t lost weight; and we don’t exercise regularly. Our spiritual checklist, however, can never become just “good intentions.” We must maintain these habits consistently “lest they depart from thine heart.” Our soul’s health depends upon our diligence.

Lord, if you see me drifting in our relationship, stir my soul. Shake me! Keep me alert! Remind me to stay diligent and observant for any small areas of my life that require maintenance before they develop into major problems. Help me to stay on guard and to always keep You first in my life.