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?

  

Loyal Hearts

"We have confidence in the Lord

that you are doing and will continue to do

the things we command.

May the Lord direct your hearts

into God's love

and Christ's perseverance."

2 Thessalonians 3:4,5

It is a miracle when any group of people can work together in one accord.  When it's church people, however, who get a job done with willing hearts and little to no bickering, there is no doubt that it is by the hand of God!  Unfortunately, the people of God are not always known for their unity of spirit.  

There is at least one instance in the Old Testament scriptures that stands out as an exception: It was when David was collecting materials for the tremendous task his son, Solomon, would undertake in building the temple of the Lord.  So many resources were needed, and astonishingly, it was the people of Israel who willingly gave from their hearts that supplied all that was necessary.

Afterward, David prayed to God, praising Him for His greatness and provision, going on to ask that He would keep the hearts of the people forever loyal to Him.  David knew it was God who unified the people, for he knew as well as any of us how difficult it is for people to agree on anything, let alone give up their valuables for a single cause.  Yes indeed, God worked a miracle in the hearts of His people that day.

This, however, is not a phenomenon that is peculiar to the people of David's time.  God can still unify us, giving us a heart that only desires Him and His will.  In this way, He gives us harmony that distinguishes us for the rest of the world.

Sovereignty

He knew God was in control of every aspect of creation, even the weather.  Consequently, Elijah prayed in faith, without a doubt in his mind that God could keep it from raining for three years.  It's not that Elijah was special, it's just that he understood that God is sovereign over all things.  He believed that because of God's power, He was able to do anything, even keep the rain from falling.  (1 Kings 17:1, James 5:17)  It's not so much that prayer is powerful as it is that the God to whom the prayer is directed is mighty.

Keeping this in mind, I realize that the things that I do that matter to God are not done out of the goodness of my heart.  Quite the contrary, since my heart is deceitful above all things, leading me down the wrong path time and time again.  (Jeremiah 17:9)  Instead, it is God who works in me, directing my heart and giving me the desire to submit to His work in my life.

As I yield to His sovereign power, I am telling Him that I want Him to have His way in my life and my prayers reflect that submission.  He's going to get His way despite my stubbornness, the only question is whether I will be a part of His plan, or continuing on in my own way apart from Him.

When God is the center of my life, my heart is loyal to His sovereign work in my life.

Love

For around 350 years the people of Israel followed a predicable pattern:  They rebelled against the God who loved them, found themselves in hot water as a consequence, crying out to the Lord and asking Him to have mercy on them and save them from destruction.  God would then, out of His great compassion for His people, send a judge to set them back on track.  Everything would then be pretty good until that judge died, sending the people back to the beginning of the cycle.

There is no doubt that God loves His wayward people and that His kindness is not based on our worthiness or faithfulness; if it were, we would have long ago been wiped off the face of the earth. Even now, it's the same; God has not changed.  There  is nothing I can do to lose the love I experience through faith in Jesus Christ.  (Romans 8:38-39)

When I keep Him first, above all things, He directs my heart into His love so that kindness and compassion can overflow into the lives of those with whom I come into contact.  Then I will find myself giving others a break where usually I would not cut any slack, or sense a desire to help those who I usually ignore, or to forgive the one who hurt me deeply.

When God is the center of my life, my heart is loyal to the love that becomes the hallmark of my life.

Perseverance

He never gave up, even though He was falsely accused, sentenced to death on a cross, mocked and ridiculed and put through torturous treatment that would break even the bravest soul.  Despite this unjust and inhumane persecution, Jesus Christ endured the cross, even forgiving those who killed Him.  (Hebrews 12:2)

I may never have to go through such torture as this, but I can be sure that I possess the same kind of stick-to-it-iveness.  With the perseverance of Christ I can keep going despite the pain that wracks my body, desiring to be used by God for His glory.  With His determination I can endure harsh treatment from those I love, giving nothing but mercy and kindness in return.  With the resolve of Jesus I am able to endure financial hardship, trusting Him to provide everything I need.

When God is the center of my life, my heart is loyal to the One who gives me perseverance to keep going for His glory.

Just as the people of God were able to work as with one heart in the time of David, we can also live in one accord.  God can keep my heart loyal to Him as I make Him the center of all things.  When He is, I will desire to let Him have His way, to dwell in His love, and to endure all kinds of treatment and hardships.  This is how I keep faithful to Him and let harmony rule.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I will keep God at the center.

When do I complain about my circumstances instead of letting the perseverance of Christ empower me to carry on?

How does His love overflow into the lives of others around me?

Called by God's Will

"Paul,

called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus

by the will of God. . ."

1 Corinthians 1:1a

Homeschooling is not for the faint of heart.  That is a thought that crossed my mind many times during the fifteen-year span of time during which I taught our four daughters at home.  There were days when no one seemed to be listening to me and everyone was bent on doing their own thing.  Other times I could detect very little progress in the way of academics and even less in the realm of my girls' spiritual development.  It was then that I asked myself, Why am I putting myself and my family through this torture?

Of course, homeschooling is not really torturous, it only seems so during the difficult times.  But the thing that kept me going, the fuel that fired my engine and the shield that protected my sanity was my calling.  I knew it was God's will for me to teach our family at home, and it was this calling that encouraged me to stick with it when I felt like giving up.

Life is equally as difficult, especially when I'm living for Jesus.  Knowing that I am called by God, however, changes my perception and gives me new reasons for carrying on.

Purpose

What is my purpose?  Why am I here?  These age-old questions have haunted philosophers for hundreds of years.  While most realize there is a specific reason for each persons' existence, most do not acknowledge the Creator behind the blueprint for my life.  If there is a plan, however, it logically follows that there must be a Planner.

Recognizing that I have been placed here for God and that He is using me to fulfill His design for my life gives me a strong sense of purpose.  Then, when a door of opportunity opens up, instead of dismissing it as an impossibility, I consider that God is moving me in a new direction.  

Or, when everything seems to be going wrong, I can trust in the plan God has for me that deviates from the methods I use to gain success.  

Or, when I feel restless and ill-at-ease, I can recognize this as a symptom that I am straying away from His shepherding that results in peace.  (Psalm 23:1-4)

Knowing that I am called by the will of God gives me a sense of purpose that drives my life forward.

Perspective

I remember sitting on my neighbor's front porch and marveling at how the change in point of view altered my perception of the neighborhood.  Not only could I see my own home better from this vantage point, but I enjoyed the different angle from which to view the houses around me.  My visit with my friend, however, added to my list of things-to-do as I noticed that my shutters needed a coat of paint and that the bushes in front of the porch needed a good trimming.  A change in perspective can be helpful.

It is the same with my spiritual life.  I am used to seeing things from my own point-of-view where the late delivery of the mail is an inconvenience, the noise of teenage boys playing football in the cul-de-sac is an irritant and the elderly woman in front of me in the grocery check-out is an hindrance.

I am desperately in need of God's perspective.  Realizing my very existence is by the hand of God, though, does work to change the way I see things.  Instead of a bother, I understand the pressures placed on my mail carrier and offer her a word of encouragement.

In the place of annoyance, I see the young men blowing off steam in front of my house as boys who are finding ways to live a more focused life and who just need time to be kids.

As a substitute for impatience, I offer a helping hand to the aged woman who is desperately in need of a little love and care.

Knowing that I am called by the will of God gives me a different perspective as I begin to see others through His lens.

Perseverance

Hitting the wall.  Every long-distance runner has experienced this at one point or another where muscle glycogen stores are depleted and energy is gone.  It feels like either my legs have stopped working or my brain has ceased to send commands.  Either way, it seems I can't go on. 

While consuming some carbohydrate-loaded fuel during a workout can prevent this phenomena, the same cure does nothing for running out of steam in my walk with God.  Maybe I'm tired of the physical pain and don't see how I can persist.  Or, I am burned out in my struggles: Will I ever get past the difficulties and enter smooth waters?  Or, I may wonder why I get all the grief while my friend seems to have it so easy.

During these breaking points, keeping in mind that I am called by God, no matter how big or small this purpose may seem will help me to persevere.  Knowing there is a greater purpose behind the complexity of life helps me to continue placing one step in front of the other.

It is then that the pain is seen as a tool used to humble me, the trials work to build my faith and the heartaches cultivate compassion.  I never like hurting, struggling or suffering.  In fact, I love to be exalted or praised for a job well done.  Many times, however, God has other plans:  How often am I willing to place myself in God's hands for whatever purpose He desires?

Oswald Chambers challenges believers with the thought of being offered as a living sacrifice.  He said, "It is one thing to go on the lonely way with dignified heroism, but quite another thing if the line mapped out for you by God means being a door-mat under other people's feet."  If it is God's purpose for me to do small things for Him and never receive a word of thanks, I will only be able to persevere through that kind of treatment if I'm living for God.

If I'm living for my own comfort, feeling of self-worth or fulfillment, then I will never get past the hard times.  Instead, I will only see them as a burden to weigh me down.

But, If I'm living for God's glory, constantly seeking His will and understanding that He is the One with the master-plan, then every circumstance is a tool for His use and an opportunity to trust Him.

As one who has given my life to Jesus, it is vital for me to understand from where my calling comes.  Once I accept that God is the One who holds the blueprint for my life, then I will obtain a sense of purpose, gain a new perspective, and receive the power to persevere through difficulties.  As I step into this new way of living, I, like Paul, can say I am called by the will of God.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God completely, even when things look out of control.

How do I see things only from my perspective?

When am I stuck in my pain, failing to see its purpose in my Father's hands?