Apparently I live in one of the most obese towns in Britain, something which across the country is beginning to put a growing strain on our health service because of the illnesses related to and which are a result of obesity.
But it isn't just physically that we are feeling the affects of obesity. I wonder if parts of the church in Britain are suffering from Theological obesity - in other words we gorge ourselves on teaching, teaching teaching, making the most of every opportunity, from church, to home group, from MP3's to conferences - and I am not against making the most of teaching. But actually Bible teaching is designed to lead to Bible living, and I wonder if what is happening with the availability of bible teaching is that we gorge on it but do not become active with it. So we listen to the Bible and take in what it says, we can repeat the ideas to others but do not convert that message into changed loves, thoughts, actions and reactions.
What is the antidote - well just as the antidote to physical obesity is exercise so it is to spiritual obesity. We need to hear the word of God and do something with it - discuss it, learn it, activate it, and engage in life as a result of it equipped to serve others - after all that is the purpose of Christ giving us apostles, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, (Ephesians 4:11).
If we find that we are not serving, we are not loving more, we are not bearing with, we are not reaching out to, we are not stirred in our hearts and souls to engage with one another in discipleship and with a lost world with sharing the gospel. Maybe we need to stand on the spiritual weighing scales!
An appetite to hear and listen to God's word is a great thing, but God's word is designed to produce service as we model ourselves on the one who served us motivated by his sheer grace which saves us and reconciles us with God and others.
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