Muscles Can't Move Mountains

“It is far easier to fight with sin in public than to pray against it in private. It has been observed that while Joshua never grew weary in the fighting, Moses did grow weary in the praying; the more spiritual an exercise, the more difficult it is for flesh and blood to maintain it.” – C.H. Spurgeon

Most every morning, I sit in a recliner and lift an 8-pound dumbbell. I start by doing 30-40 curls with each arm, then an equal number of over-the-head thrusts, and finally about 10 arm extensions on each side. No, a five-minute workout with such a small weight won’t transform me into Charles Atlas, Arnold Schwarzenegger, or the Incredible Hulk, but it does help tone my arms which lost a lot of muscle mass due to Covid.

Next, I exercise my spirit by reading a passage of Scripture, a couple of online devotionals, and spending time in prayer. Guess which is more difficult and requires more discipline? If you guessed my spiritual workout, you would be right.

Just like Charles Spurgeon said in today’s quote – and just like Moses experienced firsthand during the battle with the Amalekites – spiritual exercise trumps physical exercise every time… in both the energy it requires and the effectiveness it has. Muscles can move boulders, but faith can move mountains.

“You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.” Matthew 17:20 (NLT)

“Watch and pray so that you will not enter into temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” Matthew 26:41 (BSB)

- Rev. Dale M. Glading, President