Wednesday, March 24, 2021

Obtain the prize

Ever get frustrated about the state we are in as a nation or even humankind in general?  In Matthew 24 it sounds like Jesus was talking to us in 2021

At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.

Each of us has our own way of defining standing firm, but it is clear that that is the secret to our salvation.  This is a marathon, not a sprint — life is a long, hilly race with distractions and pitfalls and detours.   It is lived out in the daily struggle, all the while standing firm.

Remember the hymn “On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand?”  We stand firm — on Christ the SOLID rock, and do that to the end.   That’s the key.

In 1 corinthians 9 we read, " Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.”

Whichever metaphor you prefer — standing firm, or running the race to obtain the price — it’s the endurance, or as my mom would stay, the stick-to-itiveness, that takes us where we need to go.

So whether your day to day calls you to stand firm — or to run with all your might — do it so that in the end a prize is yours — your very salvation.

My daughter Sadie (who is expecting grandchild #10 (a girl) in May, sent me this song.  I hadn’t heard it.  And I love it!

Hope it blesses you today:



No comments: