I am about to go my primary care physician for a check up. This is an at least twice a year routine plus monthly or bi-monthly visits to my retina physician.
That is not what is on my mind today. I am thinking more along the lines of a spiritual check up. Take your spiritual vital signs. Do you love God more today than yesterday? Are your affections for Jesus greater now than at this time last year?
Next, let us move on to faith. How much confidence do you have in God today? Is your belief and confidence in Him stronger today than it has been in the past month? Is your faith growing and maturing as you face the many battles and tests?
Do you love people?. Not just those who love you in return. Do you genuinely love people? All kinds of people. People who can not do one thing for you to advance your career persona, or pocketbook? Do you love suffering people, broken people, hurting people, dying people, ostracized people, and the people nobody else loves except Jesus?
How is your joy? I am not asking what you are going through. I am asking if you have joy despite what you are going through? Jesus joyfully endured the cross. Paul joyfully endured prison. Are you joyfully enduring the stuff you are going through?
How is your hunger for God's word? Do you long for it to meet God in those pages like a deer pants for the water brooks? Do you find scripture sweet and satisfying like honey? Do you delight in truth? Are you growing in knowledge of the Bible? Is your mind getting consistently transformed as you read, meditate, memorize and study the Bible?
I am not going to ask if you are attending worship? Many do that. Are you getting anything out of it? Are you actually worshipping? Are you eager to hear truth and learn? Do you enjoy the fellowship of God's people? Are you consistently adjusting your life to the truth you learn in obedience?
We have only scratched the surface. I did not even ask about what thoughts dominate your mind? Thoughts of hope, faith, trust, peace or thoughts of despair, doubt, and anxiety.
As you go through this check up as I have you might find repentance is in order. I certainly did.
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