Effort

31/365

I used to play competitive tennis. I entered tournaments, played for my high school and grew in my state ranking. Of course, all of this coincided with drills three times a week. As I grew into adolescence, my priorities expanded accordingly. Tennis became a distant fourth to friends, clothes, relationships and pagers.

After some time, my mom noticed my lack of exertion on the tennis court and was not pleased. Her frustration was not at my lack of interest, but at my lack of effort. She explained to me the difference between playing with your heart and just showing up.

This memory mirrors my walk with Jesus Christ. Up until this point, I have expected God to give His all for me while I just “showed up”. I went to church. I prayed at church. I would tithe on Sunday and expect Him to bless me on Monday.

John 5:17
“My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.” – NIV

It is so easy to fall into comfort when you feel you have already won. Why continue with the effort of completion when your story is already sealed? God saves us the minute we accept Him into our hearts, is that the end? Once we get what we want, why bother anymore?

The call of a Christian is to mirror our lives after Jesus Christ. John 5 says that He is always at work, always. Jesus had followers. His message was out. Once the 12 apostles made the decision to follow, technically, He had what He wanted. Did He not continue to pour into their lives with nothing but care, love and effort?

If He had not put effort into His mission every day, would we be sitting here as Christians?