Tuesday, November 16, 2021
Think back on those early days when you first learned about Christ. Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering. Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things. You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail, and when all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew there were better things waiting for you that will last forever. So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.
Hebrews 10:32-36
The writer of this message to the Hebrews[1]
reminds them how difficult things were when they first came to the saving
knowledge of Christ. They found out the
meaning of persecution and hardship through public humiliation, beatings, jail
time, and having all their possessions confiscated by the government for
following Jesus. That’s a wee bit
eye-opening for those of us who think tough times are when we’re forced to
downgrade from a Mercedes to a Ford.
But the Apostle encourages them to not abandon the
eternal rewards awaiting them in glory for a little bit of comfort in the here
and now. How misguided it would be, even
if you must walk, to throw away your keys and title to the Rolls Royce awaiting
you at the end of a little trouble on the rocky road. Hard times are relative; a little suffering
now is worth it all for the glory that never fades away.
One thing the apostle doesn’t forget in his encouragement is telling
his readers how to get through the rocky times…develop patient endurance to do
God’s will.
For You Today
Patient endurance isn’t a matter of toughing-it all on
your own; rather it is learning “patiently” to wait on God’s gift of what you
need on the inside to continue in obedience to His will. For any of us that is becoming as the Roman
official who begged Jesus to heal his son…beginning with prayer that owns the
trouble we have with faith to endure: I
believe…help me in my doubting.[2]
You chew on that as
you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!
[1] Title and Other Images: Pixabay.com Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation©
For another post on this theme
see I Believe in Me - Nov 23, 2018
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