Be Persistent

My dad, the earthly one, is always offering his opinion about my life. Sometimes I find it annoying but usually it is just amusing. Occasionally, I find it helpful. I know he means well but... I've learned not to ask his opinion unless I'm ready for the flood. It's funny though how he often begins with... "What you need to do is...." Whenever I hear those words, I brace myself for what is to come. When my wife hears those words, her eyes roll up in her head and she resigns herself to listen. What a good wife! And hey, love you Dad!

Anyway, I'm using this little tidbit from my life to illustrate a point. We all get suggestions or opinions from others whether we solicit them or not. Sometimes we get good information, sometimes we get bad information and we have to have the wisdom and discernment to sort it all out... when it comes from the mouths of men.

But each day, I crack open my Bible (okay, okay, I click it open) and ask for God's advice, instruction, teaching, correcting, rebuking and training. I know that no matter what I read, I don't have to 'sort it all out' and I don't have to worry about whether it is good information. That's not to say that I am always happy to hear what he has to say because sometimes it is painful but that's a topic for a different post.

Today, when I submitted myself to God for his tutelage, he led me to;

Hebrews 10:36
"You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised."

Now, this is some GREAT advice and something that I need to be reminded of often. Like you, I get tired or lazy or distracted or deceived and my focus turns to me (clearly a violation of commandment #1 ;)). I get all whiny and stuff and I want to give up or stop trying. And it is in those moments that I have to turn to God and ask for his strength to keep on keeping on. So this passage is like the 'real deal' to me.

This passage is something I can sink my teeth into because it clearly articulates the contract or covenant between God and me. Simply stated, IF I do my part, he WILL do his part. Now with God being all faithful and stuff, I know that I don't have to worry about him 'welshing' on his promises so that's just a given. All I have to focus on is my part.

By my part, I mean the dying to myself daily, picking up my cross and following Jesus, minute by minute, step by step. I have to persevere, be committed to finishing what I started, be determined, BE PERSISTENT.

But it's not enough to be persistent unless I am persistent in what matters. I could be persistent and persevere in my sin. That would be a grave mistake and would not meet the criteria in this passage. What I have to persist or persevere in is in the doing of God's will. That's the condition, that's all that matters. That's all that Jesus did, not trying to minimize what he did but if you read what he said you'll see that he was 100% about doing God's will. He persevered and persisted in ways that I cannot even comprehend!

Nevertheless, if I meet the condition (persevere and do God's will) then there are rewards, God promised it! The truth is that I'm not really concerned what those rewards might be because I trust God. Man, what I would do for just a clap on the back or a high-five from God! Talk about motivation!

Anyway, when you're feeling challenged, when you're tired and stressed out because you're doing what's right in a world that rewards what's wrong, persevere, BE PERSISTENT. God promises that it will be worth it.

So, in the paraphrased words of my father(s)... "what you need to do is to be persistent." :)

Peace Out,
Carl