Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. – Galatians 6:7
God has blessed most of us with a healthy digestive system. As a result, if we eat more than a certain amount, we gain weight. By the same token, if we eat about the right amount and engage in healthful physical activities (like going for walks), we can maintain a satisfactory weight. Finally, if we eat less than a certain amount per day and stay active, we can probably lose weight. You might say these are examples of the Law of Cause and Effect.
While I know all these things and currently am having some success in losing a few pounds, in some ways I am still a little boy at heart. Yesterday, for example, I ate more than I should have, so with some trepidation this morning, I got on the scale. No problem! Despite what I did yesterday, I was actually down! Now I could kid myself into thinking I had somehow figured out how to beat the Law of Cause and Effect by eating more and still losing. However, I know better than that. Despite random, day-to-day ups and downs, in the long run, if I eat less I will lose, and if I eat more I will gain.
While it is good to stay in shape physically, God is much more concerned about our spiritual condition. If we live in sin throughout this life, we ultimately will be sent to a lost eternity. If, on the other hand, we give our hearts and lives to the Lord and then daily live for Him, we can look forward confidently to a glorious eternity in Heaven.
Don’t be fooled by short-term results. It may appear that one who is far from God is getting along just fine—and in fact may appear to be prospering more than the Christian. However, despite how well things may seem to be on the surface, only that individual knows the lack of true joy and peace he feels deep inside. More importantly, life is short, and eternity is forever. As the focus verse states, what a person sows, he will also reap.
The exciting fact is that although justice demands that God punish sin, Jesus died to bear that punishment for us. When a person repents, the Law of Cause and Effect regarding his sins is put aside, and his sins are taken away.
Following that experience, the Law of Cause and Effect comes into play in the Christian’s walk. To stay in the center of God’s will, a person must keep up on the basics, such as regular Bible reading, prayer, church attendance, doing what his hands find to do for the Lord, and minding God’s checks on his life. As he continues in these, he will never fall. However, if his enthusiasm and faithfulness in doing what he knows is right diminishes, he will be in jeopardy of losing his salvation. Basically, in spiritual things as in dieting, there is no easy, magical route to success. Rather, victory comes in consistently doing what we know to do.
Today, let us focus on the glorious fact that we are forgiven and free from condemnation. And let us do our best to continue following God with all our hearts.