Run With Persistence
“Therefore, since we are
surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that
hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance
the race marked out for us” (Hebrews 12:1).
There is an old proverb which
says, "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."
Do you remember the day
of your confirmation? Go into the church basement to look at your confirmation
pictures. Do you remember when everyone in your class said they would be
faithful unto death so they could receive the crown of life?
I wonder if the great snipe, a
bird which comes from the northern regions of Eastern Europe
and Western Russia has a proverb which says, "The
flight of 3,729 miles
begins with a first flap."
Recently Swedish researchers
from Lund University 3,700 miles and never set a foot
on the ground.
If you like statistics, here's
some: the birds stayed in the air for three days and averaged 43 miles per hour on their epic
trip.
Somehow I doubt if the writer
of Hebrews would be impressed. I say that because he wasn't concerned about
birds; he was concerned about humans. That is why he encouraged, "Let us
run with persistence the race marked out for us.”
He wanted his readers to know
it was not how they began the race of
their lives; it was how they finished
that race. That was the important thing.
It is with great joy that on
May 6 we welcome 5 youth confirmands who will be beginning their race as
members of Epiphany Lutheran
Church
Over the past 85 years, how
many saints wearing their dresses, suits or white robes have since dropped out
of the race?
Some got tired. Some thought
the race was too long, too hard, too demanding. Whatever their reason, they no
longer are running the race.
Let us pray for our
confirmands. Pray that they will not be one of the dropouts. Pray that they
will not be one of the statistics. Pray that through the Holy Spirit working
through the Means of Grace in Word and Sacrament that will be able to throw off
the temptations that hinders and so easily entangles.
Pray that they will learn a
lesson from those who have dropped out of the race and are now standing on the
sidelines.
Pray that they will learn a
lesson from you, one of the faithful among the great cloud of witnesses, and
keep on running.
By God's grace may they be
given the strength to keep running ... to keep running when the temptations
grow large, to keep running when the frustration seems overwhelming, to keep
running when the goal seems too far away.
Especially at such times may
the Holy Spirit give them the faith to keep on going. May He help them stay close
to the Savior who loves all of His children, the Savior who gave His life to
save fallen humanity, the Savior who remains running alongside all of us. The
Savior who promise, “Never will I leave you. Never will I forsake you” (Hebrews
13:5).
Now that's a thought, isn't it?
No matter how long or hard the race may be, Jesus is with you, matching you
stride for stride. Jesus is there to lift you up, to speak words of
encouragement, to help you to your ultimate goal.
Confirmed in Christ,
Pastor Michael Zarling
Comments
Post a Comment