What to Do for 'Flat' Faith

"And for this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you" (2 Timothy 1:6a)

I have no earthly idea what "flat hair" is, beloved, but I learned today that there is a remedy for it! I had recently told my wife that I needed to get some shampoo and her response was to give me a bottle that she already had. Imagine my surprise this morning in the shower when I grabbed the bottle and read that it was formulated especially for something called "flat hair." In fact, the bottle advertised that its contents were decidedly "anti-flat"! Now I know what you are thinking, at least those of you who know me personally or have seen my photo on line: "You don't need something for flat hair, Ron. You need something for no hair!" Cute! Really cute!

Believe it or not, as I looked at my new bottle of shampoo, the thought occurred to me that we as Christians sometimes experience a spiritual phenomenon that we might call "flat faith." Somewhere along life's way we lose the joy of Jesus. The thrill is gone and living as a Christian becomes as mundane and ordinary as paying taxes or having a root canal done. We do what we do because it is expected of us, not because it thrills us to do so. I believe with all my heart that local churches today are filled with such believers, always in the proper place at the proper time, but deep inside with "flat faith."

The solution to flat faith, according to what the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, is for us to "kindle afresh" what God has given to us as a sacred deposit. The Greek word anazopureo means to "make fire alive again" in the sense of rekindling something that was burning at one time, but now no longer is. What we need to note here is that it is our own individual responsibility as Christians to keep the fire burning in our lives. And the only way that I know to do that, beloved, is to live every moment of every day with Jesus Christ ruling as Lord in our lives. It is so very simple! Walk away from Jesus Christ as your ruling Sovereign and you walk away from the presence of all the joy that God has to give you. Seek the world and its enticements and all the thrill you will know will be whatever temporary "blip" on the excitement meter whatever it is that you are chasing has to offer. Live for self and you will find no solution for flat faith!

But release every thought and word and deed into the hands of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and you will need to fasten life's seat belt, beloved, because you will be in for the ride of your life! Remember that this is the Jesus who declared that He had come to give "abundant" life to all who follow His lead. This the Jesus who has such a glorious life planned for you that you can't even imagine it all.

Got flat faith? Try God's "anti-flat" solution! Why not breathe a prayer right now and turn it all over to the King? Life doesn't get any better than that!

Ron