Has your walk become stale?
Steps to avoid becoming a crouton Christian
We can learn much from the warnings sent to the seven churches listed in Revelation chapter two and three. As much as they were letters for the churches at the time of their writings, they also represent types and conditions of churches throughout all generations. While reading the message to the church of Sardis in Revelation 3:1-6, I was struck with the fact that the church had a name or reputation; they were alive, yet they were dead. What exactly does this mean for you and me? It could imply anything from: going through the motions of being a Christian, playing church or walking a faith that feels stale. So, what do you and I need to do to keep our walk vibrant? How do we walk among the living and see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living (Ps. 27:13)?
“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.’”
Revelation 3:1 (NKJV)
You have a name (or reputation) that you are alive, but you are dead. Wow! When I first read this, I thought to myself, I don’t want this said of me. Although, when I looked a little deeper, I recognized times in my life where this was my reality—not having a whole-hearted devotion to God and devoid of spiritual life and power. In these times my walk became stale, or being in the presence of others but not present.
So how do you and I come out of this stale style of living and instead walk before the Lord in the land of the living (Ps. 116:9)?
Revelation 3:2-3 gives us practical steps to avoid becoming a crouton Christian:
(okay, I thought this was a fun way of calling our walk stale…ha)
- Wake up!
- Consider your ways.
- Evaluate your priorities and if you need to make a change, don’t hesitate. Don’t allow God to be put on the back burner.
- Strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die.
- Even if your faith is as small as a mustard seed, strengthen it.
- The promise of God is if you seek Him, He will let you find Him (1 Chronicles 28:9). He will not forsake those who seek Him (Ps. 9:10).
- Reposition yourself. Find a new place to meet with God. If your current place has become overtaken with things that distract you from keeping Him first or you have allowed clutter to trickle into your quiet space, remove yourself and start anew.
- Even if you are in a good place, you can still seek Him with more fervency. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for you shall be satisfied (Matthew 5:6)
- Hunger for what pleases God.
- Remember what you have received and heard
- Remember is a pretty important word in the Bible. It is used over 350 times.
- Remembering helps to see the hand of God in your life and all He has done for you.
- Keep it
- Hold fast to God’s Word; it’s a treasure.
- The Word of God gives life (Ps. 3:1).
- Repent (if needed)
- Repent implies a turning away from something that keeps you from walking in union with God.
- Search your heart and see if there is any hurtful way in you (Ps. 139:23). If there is anything that needs to be addressed or changed, consider your ways.
I hope these steps from Revelation 3 to the church of Sardis helps you freshen your walk and gives you a renewed vision and power for every-day living with God.
I want to close with this thought from St. Ignatius of Loyola—a man who gave the first place of his life to God said, “The goal of our life is to live with God forever. God who loves us, gave us life. Our own response of love allows God’s life to flow into us without limit . . .Our only desire and our one choice should be this: I want and I choose what better leads to the deepening of God’s life in me.”
Oh yes, this is what I want said of me, don’t you?
Journeying with Him,
Jessie
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