Don't Give Up

"In Jerusalem,

the LORD of Heaven's Armies

will spread a wonderful feast

for all the people of the world.

It will be a delicious banquet with clear,

well-aged wine and choice meat.

There he will remove the cloud of gloom,

the shadow of death that hangs over the earth."

Isaiah 25:6-8 NLT

Tears flow freely, grief is thick, suffering palpable.  Opposition is strong, criticism great, loneliness a bosom buddy.  Is this the abundant life Jesus promised?  Why should I stand firm in my faith?  Is it worth it?

Feast.  Yes, I am promised a full, rich life in the here and now as my Shepherd walks with me through many trials and tribulations.  It is in that relationship, that tender union, that intimate bond that I find a rich connection that satisfies my soul.  Maybe its not so much a promise of a life that will bring all the good things I dream of, or the bounty I envision, or the happy ending I foresee, but rather the hope of better things to come than I could ever imagine, eternal plenty that will forever fulfill, a joyous and beautiful close to this life as the best of all opens up before me.  This may be the true abundance to which Jesus referred (John 10:10).

The goodness I find in Christ in this broken world is but a shadow of what is to come in the next when all things are made right (Colossians 2:17).  Without the sin that ruined God's creation, all will be as it was meant to be and that in itself will be a feast of kinds.  As I enter into my Father's house, I will discover the fullness of God without any roadblock to hamper me.  I will then see clearly His beautiful character, unencumbered by sin and free from this flesh that weighs me down (1 Corinthians 13:12).  What a feast that will be as He gathers all those who stayed faithful to Him until the end, no matter how tough the going became (Matthew 8:11, Luke 14:15).

My faith in Christ gives me the hope of an eternity of abundant blessings that surpass my wildest dreams.

Death.  It plagues every man, looming as a dark monster in the nether regions of the future.  Each must face it, but what comes beyond?  Is it the end?  Will it be painful?  Does it involved suffering?  Death has long caused grief and mourning in this broken world.  It is one thing that ties all mankind together: No matter who you are, death will come and this is to be feared.

But Jesus changed everything.  In Him, all may have hope beyond the grave.  Death has lost its sting as I now look forward to the end of this life as the beginning of an even better one that will last forever (1 Corinthians 15:54-56).  In Christ I need not fear what is inevitable because it merely signifies the entrance into an eternity with the One who loves me perfectly.  And there I will discover no death as the suffering here becomes a distant memory.  

My faith in Christ gives me the hope of life after death, rendering Death as powerless.

Reproach.  This life is filled with sorrow, suffering, pain, heartache.  None avoid such difficulties as we feel the full impact that sin has on this world.  Is there good news among such strife?  Yes, in Jesus there is hope that gives us reason to shout with joy!  I need not fear such difficulties, because they are only temporary.  In Christ, I can turn from fear and shout with joy, "God is here!  My Savior has come!" (Isaiah 40:9-11)

While the tears flow freely here, my Shepherd will tenderly wipe them away and there will no longer be any reason to cry.  Sorrow is commonplace here, but in eternity it will be strictly forbidden from entering.  Pain plagues in many ways in this dark world, but it is not welcome in the place I will dwell with my Savior.  I will never taste such hardship again once this life is over (Revelation 21:3-4).

My faith in Christ gives me the hope of the end to the fallout from sin as all reproach is abolished in Him.

For those who stand firm until the end, trusting in Jesus as Savior, the cry of our hearts will be this.  "This is our God!  We trusted in him, and he saved us!  This is the LORD, in whom we trusted.  Let us rejoice in the salvation he brings!" (Isaiah 25:9).  In Christ I have much to look forward to, and the abundant feast, the victory over death, and the end to all reproach spurs me on to the end.  I must not give up, then, for there is so much goodness to come!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can keep my eyes on Jesus as the going gets tough.

When am I tempted to turn away from the narrow road?

How would remembering all I have to look forward to spur me on in the midst of the heartache?