Keep the Lamp Burning

35 “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, 36 and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks.” – Luke 12:35-36

For me, and I think many others, the hard part about following Jesus for a lifetime is not doing the religious things (attending Sunday service, small group, serving, praying, going to conferences and retreats, showing hospitality, etc.). Nope. For me, the hardest thing is having a desire for Jesus day-in and day-out. If your heart isn’t in those things, they all certainly can feel like work and be exhausting, but being weary in those things is not the issue. I think at the bottom of growing weary in well doing is a lack of affection for Jesus. The Puritans hit on this; modern-day Christians such as Piper hit on this; and it’s so true in my own life.

It is A LOT of work to keep the fire kindled. You can do all of those religious things with literally no desire for God. Not true desire at least. Obviously, you don’t stop doing those things just because your heart isn’t always in them (otherwise I’d be quitting a lot), but it’s important to not let yourself go for too long. This is on my mind a little more than usual for a couple reasons. One, the topic in group for the month is Seeking Jesus through Busyness and two, just because I’m feeling spiritually dull. Lately, food tastes better. Money tastes better. Possessions taste better. Vegging-out on technology tastes better. I’m a little more cynical and sarcastic in my thinking. I’m too tired to push through that wall and seek God’s Presence. I know it. I see it. I understand what is going on with my heart. That’s not enough.

Is it time to panick? I don’t think so. If it was all dependent on me, I would have been a goner a long time ago. I can’t forfeit my Salvation. But I could go through my days kind of spiritually dull. Lethargic. Minimally effective. But I have hope. I know I will again worship God with passion and again be consumed with zeal. Just as David knew he would in the Psalms. It really is a race. The piece that requires the most exertion is keeping the lamp burning. Isn’t this also true in marriage; another intimate relationship? Part of why I do this blog is to stir up myself. I think it’s in these times that the real testing comes. Not when you’re on the mountain-top (or sometimes maybe even in the valley?). John Piper really says it well (I’ll paraphrase) by asking the question, How do you know you will wake up tomorrow and still have faith?If you answer, “I’ll just make myself believe. I’ll get in my Bible and just “will it” to happen.” That is a very shaky foundation to stand on. No, we won’t will ourselves to have faith when we wake up in the morning. If we wake up in the morning with faith, it’s because he put it there! That’s encouraging, and so I don’t panic. I just trust Him. He will keep me. And I will again be on the mountain-top and praising Him again. That doesn’t mean I don’t exert myself. I just know I can rest in Him.