Keeping Your Axe Sharp

As Christians, we tend to start out our new lives of the born-again experience like a wildfire. The excitement of finally realizing our need for the saving power of a relationship with Jesus gives us new energy to life and like the early part of any relationship, we can’t get enough of Jesus. We get baptized, publicly declaring our faith. We read the Bible, excited to hear the story of the Gospel. We tell everyone around us that, they too, need to be reborn.

Then something happens. As alluded to above it’s like the relationship we first had with our spouses. In the beginning, we wanted to spend all our time with them and if we couldn’t be together, we talked on the phone with them for hours. We bought them gifts and did everything we could to be sure they knew how much we loved them. But over time that all slowed down until the relationship settled into something we all take for granted. We stopped trying to prove we loved them. We drift apart and though occasionally we fall into little spells of longing for our mate, those also taper off. The relationship simply gets dull. Especially when the truth of married life hits home. The drudgery of day to day life beats us down as we fight the battle of existence. Sick kids, work, taking care of the house, and yes, even our ministry gets hard.

This is exactly what we do with Jesus. We start to slow down on our Bible study and reading. Our prayer life becomes less and less. We no longer want to serve and that new house or new car desire can cause us to reconsider how much we give in terms of both money and time.

There is a great verse that speaks to this problem.

Ecclesiastes 10:10
If the axe is dull and he does not sharpen its edge, then he must exert more strength.

The truth is we, as disciples of Christ, become like an unsharpened axe. Though we keep trying to carry on in our faith, it becomes a real struggle that wears us down. We are dull and unsharpened axes.

The answer? We must continue to sharpen the axe head and make sure the handle is securely attached to the axe. We do this through the very act of time with God. This means we must read the Bible. We must pray. We must humble ourselves before God and confess our weakness and our sins.

Cutting firewood is hard work. But try it with a dull axe. We are blessed to have chain saws in our time but even a dull blade on a chain saw will make your work harder. And even though a woodsman is tired at the end of the day, he knows to carry on tomorrow, he must sharpen his axe head, so tomorrow he will be ready to get back to work. He will check his axe again in the morning to be sure it’s in the best condition possible. He will insure the head is solidly attached to the handle. Maybe he missed a spot last night when he sharpened it. He also knows if he has done a lot of work during the day, he might need to stop and sharpen the axe head as he works. We are no different.

So today commit to being sharp by taking time to read your Bible. Take time to pray. Do these things morning, during the day, and at night. Pray without ceasing. Keep watch over both your axe head and the handle. Otherwise you might just “fly off the handle.”

A good woodsman also wears the proper attire to protect Himself. Again, scripture instructs us.

Ephesians 6:10-18
 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.

Life is hard. Stay sharp. Let God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, use you to do the work.

May God richly bless each and every one of you.