Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. Hebrews 5:13-14 (NIV)
I have a new personal trainer. He seems more interested in helping me. In fact, he is so concerned; I endured a rigorous workout and some scolding in my first session with him. He contends I have not been pushing myself hard enough. The elliptical machines, which had been part of my regular workout, are, in his opinion, just something to use for warm up, but not enough to really make a difference. Instead, he believes in using the treadmill. That was okay with me, I had tried the treadmill and liked it better than the elliptical machines. Except, before I walked at a pace of about two and a half miles per hour. That was not enough to my new coach. “You might as well be shopping at the mall,” he said. He pushed me up to four miles per hour. I thought my shoes were going to fall right off my feet as I raced to keep up with the machine. I was huffing and puffing, but he was cheering me on. “Great job! That is the way to get in shape.” When we went to the weight machines, he asked me to show him what I have been doing. Setting them at fifteen pounds earned me a frown and more scoffing. “If you are going to work out then, work out. Otherwise, you are just wasting your time,” he said as he reset them to sixty pounds. After ten repetitions and much groaning on my part, he allowed me to move them back down to forty for ten more repetitions. When I was done, every muscle in my body quivered with relief. I barely was able to drive home. This is not going to be as easy as it seemed. No longer a walk in the mall, but a race around the speedway. I will keep going back, however. I can already see results. I am getting stronger and my muscles are toning up nicely. It reminded me of these verses in Hebrews. Before my trainer started helping me, I was just playing around. Drinking milk like a baby. Now, I am really training my body to be fit, to be strong and mature. In our spiritual life, we need to move from milk to solid food in order to be strong in our faith and know what is right and true. Are you living on scraps found here and there? Sunday School and sermons heard once a week? A short devotional gobbled down like a piece of toast before you leave home in the morning? All diluted down from someone else’s studies and spoon fed to you? Or do you daily get into God’s Word yourself. Seeking His guidance and asking Him to open your eyes and ears to His Word? Consume a diet rich in His Truth. Seek rigorous training even when it is not easy. That is the kind of training God expects us to do. No more mall walking. Get up and run!
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