| Devotion September 25, 2007 “Be the Turtle!” Perseverance is maintaining commitment to a goal during times of pressure. Many times in life we will find ourselves beginning to be overwhelmed by not only challenges but merely the magnitudes of many different ministries and priorities in our lives. We want to give God our best. We want to honor Him in each and every situation and not give up. However to do so, we need to hold on and totally give God our all. You never know when that last bit of push or effort may make all the difference. It’s just like that final 1 degree of temperature it takes to make water boil at 212 degrees. It doesn't boil at 211 degrees. It is that little bit of extra that makes all the difference. James 1:2-4 Consider it pure joy my brothers whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete not lacking anything. |
What I find to be ridiculously cool and interesting about this verse is that the only revealed means of being that totally mature and complete-not lacking anything person is through perseverance! If we want to completely totally reflect and be like Christ, the only way to achieve it is through all kinds of trials AND keeping our faith. This is a really sad bummer story but I was reading a Character sketch for my students about an Eastern Box turtle that had overeaten one day and been attacked by a raccoon. It held itself in its shell as the predator tried to gnaw at its exterior. It was safe and sound but after a few minutes the turtle became tired and let its shell open just a bit to relax. That was all the enemy needed to work it’s way in. That moment of being off guard cost the poor animal its life. Things can be like that for us as well. We have to stay focused on our goal from the beginning and not give up. Christ has given us all we need to persevere but we’ve got to hold on to it. If we allow sin to creep in even a little, it can cost everything in the end. Hebrews 12:1 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. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith! Just like the turtle and the hare, our Christian walk and witness is not a sprint but a marathon! Press on and being who God has called you to be! |