“How’s it going?” “Oh, just same ole, same ole—get up, go to work, come home, go to bed, go to church on Sunday, then do it all over again.” Life, marriages, churches, and businesses can reach a point where everything is set in place and operates by routine. Each of these areas progress from birth or the beginning of a dream, to goals, to an established structure, and eventually reaches the point of fulfilment. Then everything begins operating like a well-oiled machine. But for believers what now, after you are at the top of your mountain sitting on the plateau. Some people are satisfied living the routine of status quo. However, life can be compared to water; if it doesn’t continue flowing, it will stagnate.
Church history can be summarized with an acrostic of four M’s—man, movement, machine, and monument. A man or woman dreams a dream and others begin following and it develops into a movement. Finally, it grows so large it needs order so the people of the movement structure an organization, which we call a machine. However, as it continues growing, the machine grows and people spend more time maintaining the machine than fulfilling the original dream. It may continue to operate like a well-oiled machine but with no real life. It eventually becomes nothing more than a monument going through the motions. Then another man or woman breaks away, dreams a new dream, and the process begins all over. Church history shows that churches and denominations have gone around and around this circle of rise and fall.
In the Book of Revelation, Jesus warned the church at Ephesus they were in danger of becoming a mere monument. Paul founded the church and later both Timothy and the Apostle John pastored it. When Paul came to the city of 250,000 people he found twelve disciples and he laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them (Acts 19:6). From this small group a church was born, grew, and out of which they sent believers who planted the other six churches of Revelation in the surrounding towns. Jesus commends them for their continued labor and endurance and for testing false apostles. It appears the church had developed into a well-oil machine. Everyone knew what to do and did it. They worked hard ministering for the Lord.
Jesus also condemned them. But I have this against you, that you have left your first love (Rev 2:4). They reached a plateau, the well-oiled machine was carrying out their functions as a church should, doing good work, but it seems it was all routine. They were so busy operating the machine testing those who called themselves apostles, refuting evil, standing against the Nicolaitans, and pressing forward despite opposition that they had forgotten their original purpose as a church—to love Jesus and have a relationship with Him. They were in danger of becoming a monument. Jesus warned if they did not change, He would come and remove their lampstand out of its place (2:5).
I have observed through the years, these four stages can also apply to one’s individual life or to a marriage or worst, our spiritual life. When we receive Christ as our Savior, we are full of love, zeal, and passion. We can’t wait for our devotional times with the Lord when we read the Bible, worship, pray, and experience His presence. As we learn and mature, we discover our gifts and are excited to find our role in serving the Body. However, as life progresses if we are not careful, our spiritual life can become a routine. We can reach a plateau, going through the motions, but forget our main purpose—to love Jesus and have a relationship with Him. We sometimes call these times as going through a dry place, in the wilderness, in a rut, or here in the south people say, “Spiritually, I’m as dry as a corn shuck.”
Jesus taught that when we believe in Him, we will have rivers of living water flowing from our innermost being (Joh 7:38) and not a stagnate pool of lifeless water. After admonishing the Ephesians for losing their first love, He gave them three steps for breaking this routine life. He said remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first (2:5). Ask yourself, “what did I do different in the beginning of my spiritual journey?” I was surprised after thinking about this. Repent simply means to change our mind or direction. In other words, break the routine and change the way you think. Maybe you need to dream some new dreams for your life. Then do what you did in the beginning in your love and relationship with Christ.
Sustaining Word for the Week: Has your life, your marriage, or spiritual life become a lifeless well-oiled machine going through the motions? Remember, change your thinking, and return to doing what you did in the beginning to have a loving relationship with Jesus.