
I don’t know about you, but I get tired of always getting messages on my computer to update to the next operating system or the latest version of a particular program that I use. It is a struggle: Do I “move up” or keep things as they are?
In our Christian lives, the answer is always to update, to move forward, to begin anew. That is why we have confession and absolution every time we worship. We need to be upgraded from sinful to forgiven people of God again and again by his grace and mercy. Staying “where we are” spiritually on any given day only keeps us in our sins and thus separated from our source of renewal in God through Christ.
Updating in a spiritual sense also means returning to the Word of God on a regular basis to remind us of what Scripture says. We can so easily forget what the Bible proclaims to us about our motivation for living. What are we designed for? Take a look:
Speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ (Ephesians 4:15).
Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up (Galatians 6:9).
We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4).
Life, in the Christian faith, is all about newness and growing and not giving up. So don’t be afraid to keep updating your life of faith with more prayer, more confession, more devotion and Bible readings. Expanding your commitment to Christ means extending your relationship with him. Becoming closer and closer to Christ in more and more ways brings blessings upon blessings. Let the updates abound.