John 3:6-7 NIV
How many of us have been to the altar or knelt alone in our homes and accepted Christ? In that instant, God's Holy Spirit conceived something in our hearts. The scriptures are marked full of references that are analogous to growing as it relates to a child growing from infancy to maturity. Just as a infant is conceived and begins to grow through birth, childhood, adolescence, adulthood and finally maturity, so do we as Christians.
However, how often do we starve, walk away from and outright attempt to kill what the Spirit has conceived in us. How many days has it been since we have been in God's Word, spent time talking to him and in fellowship with other believers? Without those aspects present in our lives, those things conceived by the Spirit within us will begin to die.
While Christ is able to keep us, he desires us to "want to be kept" and therefore does nothing to force us to remain in him. Far too often, if we are honest, our present reality might often sound like Isaiah's...
As a woman with child and about to give birth
writhes and cries out in her pain,
so were we in your presence, O LORD.
We were with child, we writhed in pain,
but we gave birth to wind.
We have not brought salvation to the earth;
we have not given birth to people of the world.
Isa 26:17-18 NIV
Let's believe and guard the Sanctity of all life - physical and spiritual. No more can we abort what the Spirit has conceived in all of our hearts.
The good news is that Christ stands ready to forgive, give us a fresh start and restore that which is dying or dead. It is up to us to stay close to Christ and his purposes for us. Doing so helps us keep our account short with God.
Who may stand in his holy place?
He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not lift up his soul to an idol
or swear by what is false.
He will receive blessing from the Lord
and vindication from God his Savior.
Such is the generation of those who seek him,
who seek your face, O God of Jacob.
Ps 24:3-6 NIV
