Proximity Alone Is Insufficient

Imagine going to the gym.  You walk in the door and see all the weights, all the machines, all the equipment that can be used to help your muscles, and becoming toned.

How much does looking at the picture help you achieve those goals?  How much stronger does looking at weights make you?  How many calories do you burn looking at those treadmills?  Just looking at pictures doesn't do any of those things.

But what if you walk into an actual gym? You don't just look at the equipment but walk up to it and stand next to it. You're so close you can reach out and touch it. How much more does this  physical proximity help you than merely looking at pictures?

Physical proximity alone doesn't do anything more for you than looking at pictures.

The weights and equipment need to be used, not just looked at or touched. If I want to lose weight and gain strength I can't just look at the pictures. Going into the gym and being in physical proximity doesn't help at all. I need to use them.

Do you want to grow in your relationship with God? Do you want to overcome the power of sin in your life? Do you want your life to be aligned with the way of Jesus? Do you want to be a part of what God is doing in the church and in the world? Just sitting in church, even being there every Sunday isn't going to accomplish that. If you're going to achieve those goals you'll need to take responsibility for your own growth. You'll need to join a group of others who are seeking to achieve those same goals. You'll have to actively respond to the grace of God available through what we call the "means of grace."

No one can make you do that. You have to decide you want it and then do it.

1 Corinthians 15:58
Rev. Richard Heyduck