Hebrews 6:9-12
I’m sure that won’t happen to you, friends. I have better things in mind for you—salvation things! God doesn’t miss anything. He knows perfectly well all the love you’ve shown him by helping needy Christians, and that you keep at it. And now I want each of you to extend that same intensity toward a full-bodied hope, and keep at it till the finish. Don’t drag your feet. Be like those who stay the course with committed faith and then get everything promised to them.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
We cannot escape talking about what happened in Oklahoma yesterday. As a former teacher, and the aunt to nieces, nephews, cousins and other little ones for whom I would walk across hot coals, I was heartbroken to learn that young children were missing and/or injured – and dead. When I heard that a third grade class was involved, I immediately thought of my precious 3rd-grade cousin, Olivia… and my eyes filled with tears. I tried to busy myself with other things…but I kept being drawn back to the television news reports. I prayed for those involved… particularly the little children – “LORD, please don’t let them be afraid. Shelter them. Comfort them, as only You can.”
Very clearly, I was reminded of a passage in William P. Young’s novel, The Shack. A six-year-old girl has been abducted while on a family camping trip. She has been brutalized and killed… and her father is understandably distraught. Jesus comes to sit beside the father, who says that he keeps thinking about his little girl being all alone with her deranged attacker. Jesus tells him that she was not alone – not for one minute. He and the Holy Spirit never left her… He could never do that!
This greatly comforted me. I felt as if God was saying, “I never left the people of Oklahoma. They were not alone for one instant.” And somehow, I felt that they were wrapped safely in Jesus’s arms… and they were peaceful, sheltered – and unafraid in those horrifying moments.
We are heartsick for this community and its residents. We are eager to help. For several hours last night, my Facebook wall “lit up” with comments like “Prayers for Oklahoma,” and “Our hearts are with the tornado victims.” But by this morning, people were beginning to post recipes, pretty pictures, and other mundane thoughts that crowd this social media venue on a daily basis. It didn’t happen to us directly, so a lot of us have moved on already. And to a degree, we are supposed to get back to living our lives. But we must not forget completely. We must not drag our feet in doing what we can to help…sending donations and manpower – or even stopping to pray.
In any situation where our immediate instinct is to “do something,” we must not let our adrenaline wane as time passes. We must remain vigilant in checking on those who are in need, whether it is tornado victims, someone who is sick, elderly, shut-in, or hurting emotionally. We must continue to reach out to others… to think of the person who is grieving six months later - and not just for the first six days… to encourage those who are struggling financially even after they find a job or obtain some sort of assistance… to pray for those who might appear to have rebuilt their homes and lives after a “disaster” of one sort or another.
We were playing with Timothy and Zola in a local park a few weeks ago when our high school football coach and his family arrived… the mom and younger children by car… the coach and his two older sons by bicycle, where they had ridden over from a nearby nature trail to play with the rest of the family. When they were all ready to leave, the mom suggested they go for frozen yogurt. The coach/father said that sounded good… but he and the boys would have to ride their bikes back to the trail and get their car, which would take about twenty minutes. One of the boys did not want to do this… he wanted to load his bike into Mom’s car and ride over. His dad told him that he must ride his bike. He explained to the boy… “Son, it’s not how you start… it’s how you finish!”
I’m sure the coach has told his football team this more than once. But it was great advice for all of us… especially as Christians. How we start to care for others is important… but how we finish is even more so. We must be diligent in our efforts to help others… and patient with them as they grapple with the struggles and challenges of rebuilding and recovery. We are all a work in progress. The GOOD NEWS is that we are not alone on the journey… Jesus never leaves us – not for one instant! This should give us courage and incentive to persevere with patient endurance.
As you pray for the people of Oklahoma – and others who are in need – thank God for never leaving us, especially in the midst of such horrific disasters as the Oklahoma tornado. Ask Him to show you “salvation things”. Ask God to reveal how and where He wishes you to minister to others… and call on Him to grant you a hefty dose of patience and persistence. As important as it is for us to get up and get going, it’s equally important that we not drag our feet in ministry and service. The question we must ask ourselves today is “Where do I begin?”… but just as importantly, “How will I finish?”
©2013 Debbie Robus
The Shack – ©2007 William P. Young – Published by Windblown Media.
Showing posts with label endurance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label endurance. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for May 19, 2013
Hebrews 10:32-39
Remember those early days after you first saw the light? Those were the hard times! Kicked around in public, targets of every kind of abuse—some days it was you, other days your friends. If some friends went to prison, you stuck by them. If some enemies broke in and seized your goods, you let them go with a smile, knowing they couldn’t touch your real treasure. Nothing they did bothered you, nothing set you back. So don’t throw it all away now. You were sure of yourselves then. It’s still a sure thing! But you need to stick it out, staying with God’s plan so you’ll be there for the promised completion.
It won’t be long now, he’s on the way;
he’ll show up most any minute.
But anyone who is right with me thrives on loyal trust;
if he cuts and runs, I won’t be very happy.
But we’re not quitters who lose out. Oh, no! We’ll stay with it and survive, trusting all the way.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
On the television show “The Biggest Loser,” contestants discover that losing weight and seeing results happens more quickly at the beginning than the end. In fact, as these participants become lighter and leaner, it becomes harder with each passing week to shed the last pounds and inches. Progress is still possible, but the thrill of those first few weeks and the truly drastic changes are gone. This is where the real work begins.
It’s easy to become discouraged… or at least complacent. After all, some of these contestants have dropped 100 pounds or more. Losing that last stubborn 15 to 50 seems akin to climbing Mt. Everest. There is a temptation to reward all of the hard work with a favorite dessert… or to skip a workout here and there. After all, the entrant has come so far… what would it hurt? OR… the challenge may be finishing. The desire to keep going and lose the rest may wane… settling for the current weight and size may seem appealing. This is when the patient endurance must kick in and keep these contestants going. They have made it this far… reached countless milestones… and they must keep going and finish strong!
In our Christian faith, we often seem to lose steam after a while. The spark and excitement of our initial salvation experience may pale. Our encouragement and support from others may wane… and our inner resolve to forge ahead and continue to grow with the Holy Spirit can fade. We’ve come so far… God has given us so much… maybe we could just stop and rest here a while! And many of us do exactly that. The trouble is… too many of us grow stale at our “resting point.” We settle for a “good enough” relationship with the Holy Spirit - and miss out on all He wants to give us by doing so.
Just as in a weight-loss program that we hope will bring permanent, lasting results, we must practice patient endurance as we grow in our faith. We must keep on “keepin’ on,” continue to study, pray, fellowship and learn. We must not “rest on our laurels” – or on the blessings we have received from God already. We cannot quit! We have to keep trusting God for outcomes, learning how He works, and expecting His promises to be fulfilled. We have to wait on the LORD in all things… and believe that He will show up, right on time!
This is a tall order… but such a “sure thing” as the blessings and rewards of a life in Christ is certainly worth it! Are you ready to press forward and persevere? Are you still “in the game” and trusting all the way? Will you make it to the Finish Line with Jesus… or will you give up and quit? The choice is yours… what will you decide?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Remember those early days after you first saw the light? Those were the hard times! Kicked around in public, targets of every kind of abuse—some days it was you, other days your friends. If some friends went to prison, you stuck by them. If some enemies broke in and seized your goods, you let them go with a smile, knowing they couldn’t touch your real treasure. Nothing they did bothered you, nothing set you back. So don’t throw it all away now. You were sure of yourselves then. It’s still a sure thing! But you need to stick it out, staying with God’s plan so you’ll be there for the promised completion.
It won’t be long now, he’s on the way;
he’ll show up most any minute.
But anyone who is right with me thrives on loyal trust;
if he cuts and runs, I won’t be very happy.
But we’re not quitters who lose out. Oh, no! We’ll stay with it and survive, trusting all the way.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
On the television show “The Biggest Loser,” contestants discover that losing weight and seeing results happens more quickly at the beginning than the end. In fact, as these participants become lighter and leaner, it becomes harder with each passing week to shed the last pounds and inches. Progress is still possible, but the thrill of those first few weeks and the truly drastic changes are gone. This is where the real work begins.
It’s easy to become discouraged… or at least complacent. After all, some of these contestants have dropped 100 pounds or more. Losing that last stubborn 15 to 50 seems akin to climbing Mt. Everest. There is a temptation to reward all of the hard work with a favorite dessert… or to skip a workout here and there. After all, the entrant has come so far… what would it hurt? OR… the challenge may be finishing. The desire to keep going and lose the rest may wane… settling for the current weight and size may seem appealing. This is when the patient endurance must kick in and keep these contestants going. They have made it this far… reached countless milestones… and they must keep going and finish strong!
In our Christian faith, we often seem to lose steam after a while. The spark and excitement of our initial salvation experience may pale. Our encouragement and support from others may wane… and our inner resolve to forge ahead and continue to grow with the Holy Spirit can fade. We’ve come so far… God has given us so much… maybe we could just stop and rest here a while! And many of us do exactly that. The trouble is… too many of us grow stale at our “resting point.” We settle for a “good enough” relationship with the Holy Spirit - and miss out on all He wants to give us by doing so.
Just as in a weight-loss program that we hope will bring permanent, lasting results, we must practice patient endurance as we grow in our faith. We must keep on “keepin’ on,” continue to study, pray, fellowship and learn. We must not “rest on our laurels” – or on the blessings we have received from God already. We cannot quit! We have to keep trusting God for outcomes, learning how He works, and expecting His promises to be fulfilled. We have to wait on the LORD in all things… and believe that He will show up, right on time!
This is a tall order… but such a “sure thing” as the blessings and rewards of a life in Christ is certainly worth it! Are you ready to press forward and persevere? Are you still “in the game” and trusting all the way? Will you make it to the Finish Line with Jesus… or will you give up and quit? The choice is yours… what will you decide?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for May 13, 2013
Colossians 1:9-12
Be assured that from the first day we heard of you, we haven’t stopped praying for you, asking God to give you wise minds and spirits attuned to his will, and so acquire a thorough understanding of the ways in which God works. We pray that you’ll live well for the Master, making him proud of you as you work hard in his orchard. As you learn more and more how God works, you will learn how to do your work. We pray that you’ll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul—not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength God gives. It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that he has for us.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Over the weekend, my husband helped me recover my piano bench. The fabric I had stapled to the lid over 15 years ago had worn bare around the edges, and it was time for a makeover! My husband used his drill to remove the padded board that fit inside a wooden frame on the lid. I used a staple gun to attach the new fabric. When we got ready to re-insert the board, it would not fit. I had stapled the new fabric atop the old… which was attached over an original layer… and the three thicknesses were simply too much. The screws would not “grab” in the wood. Moreover, I had used a staple that we thought was the right size… but once everything was in place, the staples stuck through the wood. “Those will snag your clothes, little legs, and cause all sorts of problems,” my husband lamented.
They make this type of project look so easy on HGTV! There was nothing to do but take everything apart… pull out ALL of the staples and remove the new fabric and the second layer. We decided the first layer was holding the padding in place, so it should stay. A couple of hours later, we had everything back together again – this time with upholsterer’s tacks and duct tape! – and the bench looked great!
There was a time when this setback would have sent me into orbit. I would have sputtered, spewed and grumbled. I would have gritted my teeth and griped as I pulled out each staple. But this time, I just looked at the bench, took a deep breath, stuck with the project… and soon all was back in order. And there is a pattern here! I still get mad at myself when I break a dish or spill something… and I still get frustrated and impatient when things don’t work out just as I had hoped or happen as quickly as I would like. But I’m learning to operate in the glory-strength of God instead of my own grim strength.
Lately, I’ve been taking a few minutes fairly often to make a list (if only mentally) of all of the things God has done for me… all of the prayers He has answered in my life in just the last short while… all of the things He has worked out and the positive outcomes that are all around me. When I stop and examine them, I realize that He is at work… and I am learning how to do His work – on His terms. There are still plenty of things that I wish that God would fix! There are still areas that I need to work on – and situations in which I wish He was working a little faster. But that’s on me… because He is doing exactly what is necessary and needed. I am the one who still has real work that needs to be done.
The more we learn to operate in patience and the glory-strength of God, the more bearable and joyful our lives become. We are calmer, more confident, and certainly much more effective for His Kingdom. So what is your “broken glass” or project gone awry today? How will you handle it? Will you call on God to grant you the necessary patience, endurance and strength to handle things with dignity and calm? Or will you grit your teeth, grumble and fumble? The choice is totally yours… how will you decide?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Be assured that from the first day we heard of you, we haven’t stopped praying for you, asking God to give you wise minds and spirits attuned to his will, and so acquire a thorough understanding of the ways in which God works. We pray that you’ll live well for the Master, making him proud of you as you work hard in his orchard. As you learn more and more how God works, you will learn how to do your work. We pray that you’ll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul—not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength God gives. It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that he has for us.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Over the weekend, my husband helped me recover my piano bench. The fabric I had stapled to the lid over 15 years ago had worn bare around the edges, and it was time for a makeover! My husband used his drill to remove the padded board that fit inside a wooden frame on the lid. I used a staple gun to attach the new fabric. When we got ready to re-insert the board, it would not fit. I had stapled the new fabric atop the old… which was attached over an original layer… and the three thicknesses were simply too much. The screws would not “grab” in the wood. Moreover, I had used a staple that we thought was the right size… but once everything was in place, the staples stuck through the wood. “Those will snag your clothes, little legs, and cause all sorts of problems,” my husband lamented.
They make this type of project look so easy on HGTV! There was nothing to do but take everything apart… pull out ALL of the staples and remove the new fabric and the second layer. We decided the first layer was holding the padding in place, so it should stay. A couple of hours later, we had everything back together again – this time with upholsterer’s tacks and duct tape! – and the bench looked great!
There was a time when this setback would have sent me into orbit. I would have sputtered, spewed and grumbled. I would have gritted my teeth and griped as I pulled out each staple. But this time, I just looked at the bench, took a deep breath, stuck with the project… and soon all was back in order. And there is a pattern here! I still get mad at myself when I break a dish or spill something… and I still get frustrated and impatient when things don’t work out just as I had hoped or happen as quickly as I would like. But I’m learning to operate in the glory-strength of God instead of my own grim strength.
Lately, I’ve been taking a few minutes fairly often to make a list (if only mentally) of all of the things God has done for me… all of the prayers He has answered in my life in just the last short while… all of the things He has worked out and the positive outcomes that are all around me. When I stop and examine them, I realize that He is at work… and I am learning how to do His work – on His terms. There are still plenty of things that I wish that God would fix! There are still areas that I need to work on – and situations in which I wish He was working a little faster. But that’s on me… because He is doing exactly what is necessary and needed. I am the one who still has real work that needs to be done.
The more we learn to operate in patience and the glory-strength of God, the more bearable and joyful our lives become. We are calmer, more confident, and certainly much more effective for His Kingdom. So what is your “broken glass” or project gone awry today? How will you handle it? Will you call on God to grant you the necessary patience, endurance and strength to handle things with dignity and calm? Or will you grit your teeth, grumble and fumble? The choice is totally yours… how will you decide?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for May 12, 2013
2 Thessalonians 3:5
May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
This morning, we honored the 20+ graduating high school seniors who attend our church. Graduation takes place later this week. I would suspect that there are a lot of people – students and parents – who feel as though they have been undergoing an 18-year endurance test. I also expect a lot of them will be looking around the day after graduation and asking, “What now?!”
Believe it or not, I was in high school once! I remember the eagerness to get out of school and move ahead with “bigger and better things.” I remember the hard work and “patient endurance” of three FULL years (including summers) in college, followed by nights and summer days spent sitting in a graduate school classroom – all in anticipation of college degrees, better pay, and the personal satisfaction and accomplishment of obtaining a Master’s Degree.
I remember waiting for nieces and nephews to arrive… counting the days until we moved home to begin a new business venture – and into new houses that we had built. And I remember not-so-fun “endurance tests”… waiting for my casts to come off after broken bones – or healing to occur after a surgery…waiting and watching as a loved one suffered through his/her last days on this earth… dreading the time when a visit would end and we would have to say “Goodbye” to someone precious and dear. And in ALL of these instances, I had the perfect example of “patient endurance”… the infallible model of perseverance and fortitude…the comfort and serenity of knowing that Someone much bigger and more powerful than I was in complete control.
Whether you are 18 or 88, life is full of events and experiences that test our endurance and cause us to “hurry up and wait.” Having Jesus by your side can make the difference in whether you worry and fret your way through these situations… or whether you take them in stride with joy and confidence. As long as you have a “full understanding and expression of the love of God” in your heart, you will have the “patient endurance that comes from Christ.” This is an equation for joy and success in anyone’s book!
As you look ahead to a new week – or even a new chapter in your life – stop and take time to evaluate your relationship with Jesus. Is He “front and center” in everything you do… every decision you make? The importance you give Jesus in your life will directly correlate to how you answer the question “What now?” Is Jesus guiding your answer and giving you patient endurance? Isn’t it time He did?
©2013 Debbie Robus
May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
This morning, we honored the 20+ graduating high school seniors who attend our church. Graduation takes place later this week. I would suspect that there are a lot of people – students and parents – who feel as though they have been undergoing an 18-year endurance test. I also expect a lot of them will be looking around the day after graduation and asking, “What now?!”
Believe it or not, I was in high school once! I remember the eagerness to get out of school and move ahead with “bigger and better things.” I remember the hard work and “patient endurance” of three FULL years (including summers) in college, followed by nights and summer days spent sitting in a graduate school classroom – all in anticipation of college degrees, better pay, and the personal satisfaction and accomplishment of obtaining a Master’s Degree.
I remember waiting for nieces and nephews to arrive… counting the days until we moved home to begin a new business venture – and into new houses that we had built. And I remember not-so-fun “endurance tests”… waiting for my casts to come off after broken bones – or healing to occur after a surgery…waiting and watching as a loved one suffered through his/her last days on this earth… dreading the time when a visit would end and we would have to say “Goodbye” to someone precious and dear. And in ALL of these instances, I had the perfect example of “patient endurance”… the infallible model of perseverance and fortitude…the comfort and serenity of knowing that Someone much bigger and more powerful than I was in complete control.
Whether you are 18 or 88, life is full of events and experiences that test our endurance and cause us to “hurry up and wait.” Having Jesus by your side can make the difference in whether you worry and fret your way through these situations… or whether you take them in stride with joy and confidence. As long as you have a “full understanding and expression of the love of God” in your heart, you will have the “patient endurance that comes from Christ.” This is an equation for joy and success in anyone’s book!
As you look ahead to a new week – or even a new chapter in your life – stop and take time to evaluate your relationship with Jesus. Is He “front and center” in everything you do… every decision you make? The importance you give Jesus in your life will directly correlate to how you answer the question “What now?” Is Jesus guiding your answer and giving you patient endurance? Isn’t it time He did?
©2013 Debbie Robus
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