Don't depart from belief

"Watch out, brothers, so that there won’t be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart that departs from the living God. But encourage each other daily, while it is still called today, so that none of you is hardened by sin’s deception." Hebrews 3:12-13 HCSB

In an article published yesterday by Men's Health Magazine, Olympic runner Nick Symmonds' story of how he departed from a fitness routine and eventually returned to it was told. Like most people who've had their workout routines disrupted over the past year, former Olympian Nick Symmonds hit a point in lockdown where he realized he’d let himself go—by his standards, at least—and decided it was time to make a change. On Instagram yesterday, the 37-year-old athlete and YouTuber shared a ripped, shirtless photo of himself doing a pullup alongside a second, less flattering photo as evidence of where things started 365 days ago. "A year ago I emerged from lockdown pasty, hairy, and out of shape," he wrote. "But with some encouragement from my gymshark family + a lot of hard work I got things turned around pretty quickly." Symmonds says he didn't get as heavy or as lean as he wanted, and so his new goal will be to pack on more strength while getting even leaner in the next year.

And you know, a fitness routine is not the only thing that's easy to depart from (as one missed workout can easily turn months of missed workouts) when the world gets unpredictable. The Bible tells us that believers who develop an "unbelieving heart," or a pattern of refusing to believe the Truth, depart from the Living God and are left alone in their sin. Which is the very reason we are instructed to "encourage each other daily, while it is still called today," so that none of us become hardened by sin's deception. And we do this by staying in constant face-to-face fellowship with other believers to discuss our mutual faith and to stir one another to stay the course and follow the absolute truths laid out in the Word rather than the changing truths laid out by the world. 

So make every effort to guard yourself from falling into "sin's deception" my friend by making fellowshipping with other believers a high priority. Encourage your brothers and sisters daily with true love and concern and it will reap eternal rewards. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding us that we are in danger of falling into sin when we neglect meeting with our church family. Lord, please stir the hearts of those who might have departed from the faith and fallen into sin's deception to repent and return to You today that they might be forgiven and restored. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!