Friday, January 24, 2014

The Push

I can remember growing up many stories told about how people gave in just before they would have won. At the moment I cannot give an exact reference, but I am sure you can remember a story as well. Wouldn’t it be a terrible thing to know that the hour before you wan a lottery you tore up your ticket? How about the minute before your child won a scholarship they took their name out of the running? These are good examples I think about when I feel like giving up my walk with God. These days that does not happen often, nor literally, but when I was younger it happened more frequently than I care to mention.

God so cares for us and wants us to win our battles. But we are human. We can become frustrated. And the world around us can scream in our ear. At those moments when I am wanting to quit, I can hear Paul’s words ringing in my ear.

Phillipians 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

My first thought in reading this is, Paul did not think he had gotten “there” yet? Whoa! What chance do I have, really? But then I realize Paul was saying, “Hey, I am human. This stuff is hard and I screw it up. But I refuse to quit!” That’s what I want my battle cry to be.

Today, if it is tough, just muster up the courage to say to yourself out loud, “I am NOT a quitter, and I will not quit! God is on my side!”

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. Please be with us today when we are weary. Please help us to not give up and to not give in. Reach out to Your people today and hold us up. Help us make it one more day with a smile on our face and a song in our hearts to You. In Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) name. Amen.