Hope for Life Blog

I walked into my health club the other day and was immediately impressed. They had remodeled and added a number of new workout stations. I went to the front desk to ask how they were paying for this. I was a little offended that they did not seem to know who I was, but I asked my question anyway. It seems that health clubs have a number of people who pay dues but do not show up to work out. They love the idea of a healthy body, and the club seems like the right place to accomplish that, but they do not want to actually come in and exercise.

I admitted that I only came to the gym a couple of times a week. Then I confessed that over the past few months it may have been more like a couple of times per month. Then they had the nerve to ask me if I was serious about a healthy life style. They suggested workout partners to encourage me and hold me accountable. They challenged me to decide if I was serious or not.

The whole experience reminded me of the discussions I have had about Jesus. There are many people who like the idea of going to heaven. They consider themselves to be Christians. They are “members” of a local church. And they are offended if no one recognizes them when they show up.

Jesus intends for his followers to live in community: to help each other, to hold each other accountable, to encourage each other, and to be family. The Christian life cannot be lived in isolation. If you want to be serious about Jesus, get serious about being connected to His people.