Exercise and Atrophy

I have had an injured shoulder for quite some time.  This injury had made exercising a bit tricky.  And quite frankly it has been a great excuse to just kick back and take it easy especially being summer.  You know give the injury time to heal.  Take a bit of time off.  Well the time off has turned in to weeks, actually a couple of months to be exact of very inconsistant exercise.  I have been known to say that the Gym I belong to has become my biggest charity!  But my body has certainly missed the exercise.  Mary Jane has been once again flapping in the wind.  Not good.  So today I went to my class, injured shoulder and all!  I was exhausted, but it really did feel good!  As I was lifting and really beginning to sweat, did I mention I HATE sweating, a question popped in to my mind; "What happenes when you become lazy spiritually?"  "Lazy?  Who said I was lazy", I thought not liking the question very much.  But I have to say the question plagued me all day.  Am I spiritually lazy?  Do I have that tendancy?  Do I really want to atrophy my spirit?  You know as I have pondered this question I have to say I think I am spiritually lazy.  As I began to take spiritual inventory I was not liking what I was finding.  I rarely miss a day when I read my Bible.  But do I always retain what I read?  Sometimes I honestly can't remember what I've read five minutes after putting my Bible down.  I do talk to God all day long but often times it does seem to be a one sided conversation.  You could even call it a monolog.  So I guess the bottom line is today I was really challenged by the Holy Spirit to not negelect exercising my spiritual muscle. To not go through the motions.  If I am going to love the Lord my God with all my heart, all my soul and with all your mind then I need to give Him my all.  That means all of my attention as well.  I have to work hard at my relationship with Him.  Give Him my best efforts and not my left overs.  I was especially reminded of this in 1 Chronicles 28:9 where David says to Solomon, "As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever."  David was dealing with the bitter regret of his sin which cost him dearly. While he was certainly forgiven by God, there were still consequenses that he had to face.  He would not be allowed to build God's house.  His son Solomon was to be given that honor.  Being spiritually lazy can have long lasting consequences if not quicky recognized and corrected.  2 Samual chapter 11 tell us of David who chose to not go to war when kings when to war.  He stayed home, lusted after a woman who was not his wife.  He took her as if she were.  When she told him she was pregnant, he called her valliant husband home from war so he would have relations with his wife and think the child was his own.  But Uriah was more honorable than David and slept outside instead.  So David sends him back to battle with a letter to his commandar Joab to place Uriah in the front lines.  And Uriah dies.  It has been said that sin will cost you more that you ever thought you would pay, take you further than you ever wanted to go, and keep you longer than you ever wanted to stay.  I love David's counsel to his son.  I am sure it was said with all the love and longing he could muster.  He knew what sin had cost him and he knew how he got there and why he stayed so long.  I am glad I exercised today.  But I am so very glad the Holy Spirit reminded me of my own tendancies to be spiritually lazy.  To Him Be the Glory!!!