Inventory taking
"Aliens have devoured his strength, but he does not know it; yes, gray hairs are here and there on him, yet he does not know it” (NKJV) Hosea 7:9
It is the time of the year that most organizations around the world take stock of their assets and assess their performance. It serves at least two purposes; to know how the organization has fared in the year under review, and know the stocks that will be carried ahead into the following year.
Likewise taking inventory of our Christian life is very important less we miss out on important lessons learned and attitudes that need to be worked on. In Hosea 7, the prophet laments Israel's ignorance of its true state of affairs. A cake unturned will be half-baked (Hosea 7:8). The Christian life should not be a shallow thing where the fire burns the surface on one side yet unbaked on other parts. The word of God should penetrate deep into our life to give us a solid foundation.
Whoever comes to me, and hears my sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock (Luke 6:47-48, NKJV).
In Judges 16:20-21, we read that Samson was was relying on a strength he no longer had. Are you also pretending to be spiritually strong when indeed sin has taken over you and the Holy Spirit is no longer active in you?
As the year ends, let us have a complete self-examination of our Christian life and ponder over the following questions:
• How deep has the word of God sunk into my life?
• How strong am I as a Christian?
Let the answers to the above be the foundation we build our Christianity on in the year to come and beyond. Let us acknowledge the state of our Christian life and make amends where the need be.