PROVERBS 24:30-34 – “I passed by the field of a sluggard, by the vineyard of a man lacking sense, and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns; the ground was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down. Then I saw and considered it; I looked and received instruction. A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.”
THEME OF THE DAY: THE FIELD OF A SLUGGARD. God displays His love to us in many ways. First and foremost is the cross of His Son, the Lord Jesus. The implications of the cross are found in perhaps what is the most familiar of Bible verses . . .
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
Not only does John 3:16 remind us of the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus but of the intensity of God’s love for us. The two-letter word “so” makes all the difference!
A second way the Lord displays His love to us is through His patience. Just look at your life and trace the long trail of patience God displayed and does display in your life. We have realized time and time again this truth of our Lord . . .
“The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust” (Psalm 103:8-14).
God also shows us His love by giving us warnings to heed. Jesus did so throughout the gospels, and we find them in the epistles. Warnings are not given to restrict our lives but to protect us. As a child is warned not to touch a hot stove because of a parent’s protective love, it is the same with God providing warnings for us to heed. Today is one of those, and the warning is that of neglect.
King Solomon paints a vivid picture of the warning of neglect. He uses the care of a vineyard. The warning is, “Lack diligence, become lazy, neglect the regular care of the vineyard, and worthless it will become. Weeds and thorns will take over and any thought of making a profit from the produce will be gone.” The spiritual application is obvious. Neglect to discipline our flesh. Be lazy with time in the Word and prayer. Put off what we know to do in the spiritual life, and sure spiritual disaster will come.
There is much to learn from observing the sluggard in the garden. The warning is serious, and it is a warning bathed in love. It is a warning of love designed to protect us and keep us close to the One who loves us enough to give us such warnings!
PRAYER: Father, help me to be vigilant and watch constantly for the first sign of spiritual neglect.
REFLECTION: Start making excuses for spiritual neglect and soon, a backslidden condition will be upon us.