Neglected
We were hosting a time of praise and prayer at our home and there was a possibility one of the guests would want to play our piano. True confession, it had been 12 years since I'd had our piano tuned. Recognizing the need, I was hesitant to call the piano tuner knowing we had neglected this care for so long.
My husband and I tend to do the same thing with medical check ups. One time visiting the eye doctor, whom I adore, she said, "Hmm. It looks like you haven't been here in 3 years." Yikes, so much for yearly check ups.
Mr. Opperknockety (my husband's name for the piano tuner, saying "Opperknockety only tunes once"..haha) graciously squeezed me in. Y'all the top of the piano wouldn't even open. He tugged a little harder and up it came. I slithered out of the room to let him work. An hour later he told me he was finished. After he left I sat down to play. Here's the worst part. The piano was dusty and the keys were filthy. They had sticky fingerprints and even coookie crumbs on them. Guess we know who has been playing. When I got a cloth to clean them, the black keys actually left BLACK all over the cloth.
The embarrassment was HUGE. How I wished I had at least cleaned the piano before he arrived. As I sat to play praise songs the word neglect came to me. Neglecting the maintenance of our things has consequences. Likewise, neglecting our spiritual maintenance has consequences too. Our hearts can become hard.
How long as it been since you opened your Bible?
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:14-17
We can't hear God unless we know his voice. We can't hear God's voice unless we know his Word and the way He speaks.
Jesus says, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. John 10:27
Most of us brush our teeth everyday, do we open God's Word everyday and get alone to a quiet place and seek his presence?
Then Jesus suggested, "Let's get away from the crowds for a while and rest." Mark 6:31
Is being part of a church, the Body of Christ, a priority?
So, let's come near God with pure hearts and a confidence that comes from having faith. Let's keep our hearts pure, our consciences free from evil, and our bodies washed with clean water. We must hold tightly to the hope we say is ours. After all, we can trust the one who made the agreement with us. We should keep on encouraging each other to be thoughtful and to do helpful things. Some people have given up the habit of meeting for worship, but we must not do that. We should keep on encouraging each other, especially since you know that the day of the Lord's coming is getting closer. Hebrews 10:22-25
How long has it been since you served at church?
As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: 1 Peter 4:10
The Song for your prayer time.
"Thanksgiving" on the piano by George Winston
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6DB8NkEQEg
