Maintenance (the process of preserving a condition, situation or state) is an inevitable requirement in life, for things naturally deteriorate and wear out and need to be maintained if they are to be preserved (the evolutionary theory that things naturally improve or develop is not borne out in practice!) Having a garden is evidence that constant maintenance is needed; without pruning, weeding and maintenance, the garden soon becomes an overgrown jungle! Cars and motorbikes need servicing and maintenance to prevent problems developing.

overgrown gardenmaintained gardenGod wants us to maintain a steady course in pursuit of Him; Paul says in Gal 2:14 that he had to confront Peter and the others because they were ‘not maintaining a steady, straight course according to the message.’ In maintenance, there is a ‘power of three’ at work: God, other people and ourselves.

God starts this process, but does not leave us alone to flounder on the way. Jn 14:15-20 reminds us that He has left His Holy Spirit for ever; His Spirit takes up residence in believers (see Eph 1:13-14) and God does not leave us as orphans. An orphan has lost their closest supporter and a vital family connection, but Jesus promises we will not be left adrift to manage on our own.

Other people are vital to our spiritual growth also. If we cut ourselves off from church, we are making life immeasurably more difficult than God wants it to be.Words from other Christians can encourage and help us (see Acts 15:32); God has given the gift of encouragement to help us (see Rom 12:8, 2 Cor 13:11), but we are all encouraged to encourage, to be sensitive to each other!

We have a responsibility for our own spiritual walk, however, just as we have a responsibility towards our vehicles (ensuring they have an annual MOT if required, for example) and our gardens! Phil 2:12 reminds us that we have to ‘work out’ our salvation with fear and trembling, making something of the gifts and talents and life God has given us. Sometimes this will mean ‘unlearning’ things that we have wrongly learned, being willing to change and develop. At all times, it means sifting our behaviour and aligning ourselves with God’s Word.