Drooping through neglect
by John Berry
We went away for a short break recently, and I neglected to ask someone to water the hanging baskets around Glyndley Manor. When we returned after only two nights away, the flowers were drooping from lack of attention. I had to go into action straight away and apply the watering can!
It made me think of how easy it is to neglect the attention we should give to God and the ‘drooping’ that happens then in our own lives. Deuteronomy 14:27 warns against neglecting the support of the Levites and Nehemiah 10:29 records the assembled people declaring “we will not neglect the house of our God”. Psalm 119:16 has the writer stating “I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word” and Acts 6:2 refers to the recognition by the Apostles that they shouldn’t neglect the ministry of the Word.
Paul urges Timothy not to neglect the gift that was given to him through a prophetic message. In each of these situations, the relationship between God and man would have been affected if people made choices to pursue their own ways rather than God’s.
How sad that Jesus even had to rebuke the Pharisees, those entrusted with spiritually nurturing the Jews, because they were neglecting to love God. ‘Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone’ (Luke 11:42).
No wonder the nation was spiritually drooping when Jesus walked on earth. There was nothing to ‘water’ God’s people with. The spiritual leaders were running dry.
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, help us to keep ourselves from drooping, whatever our role is in the Kingdom of God. Help us not neglect the most important thing in the life of a Christian – loving You. Then we shall have something to refresh others with when they’re running dry. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
John Berry entered the Baptist Ministry more than 40 years ago, and joined the Team at Ellel Glyndley Manor in 2007 with his wife Jennie. They have both now retired from the team but remain as part of the Teaching and Associate Ministry Teams at Glyndley. John and Jennie have seven Grandchildren.
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