We have suffered these past couple months from a few setbacks that we’re certain most of you have faced in your life journey and yet, we’re not giving up. We know God is in this and with us.
While praying and inviting God to guide and direct us, He showed us an incredible story in the scriptures, a parable, that Jesus told about a persistent woman, a dear heart that would not give up her asking. It’s found in Luke 18:1-8 and we’re sharing it from The Message version of the Bible…
1 Jesus told them a story showing that it was necessary for them to pray consistently and never quit. 2 He said, “There was once a judge in some city who never gave God a thought and cared nothing for people. 3 A widow in that city kept after him: ‘My rights are being violated. Protect me!’
4 He never gave her the time of day. But after this went on and on he said to himself, ‘I care nothing what God thinks, even less what people think. 5 But because this widow won’t quit badgering me, I’d better do something and see that she gets justice-otherwise I’m going to end up beaten black and blue by her pounding.’ ”
6 Then the Master said, “Do you hear what that judge, corrupt as he is, is saying? 7 So what makes you think God won’t step in and work justice for his chosen people, who continue to cry out for help? Won’t he stick up for them? 8 I assure you, he will. He will not drag his feet. But how much of that kind of persistent faith will the Son of Man find on the earth when he returns?”
Isn’t that amazing!? Why would that story be tucked in the pages of the teachings of Christ? It seems to be an encouragement to not give up. In another story, located early in the Old Testament (Genesis 32), Jacob fights for a blessing and is renamed Israel because he won’t let go and won’t give up until he is given the blessing from his wrestling partner.
In another story in the Gospels, four friends tear off the roof of a house where Jesus was teaching in order to lower their crippled friend in front of the Messiah–all in hopes that Jesus would heal their friend.
These are just a few of the stories contained in the Bible that in some shape or fashion all share the same sentiments of people who have both hurting and hopeful hearts… hearts desiring for God to move and for God to act on their behalf. I confess, Robin and I are two of these hurting and hopeful hearts.
These past months have been hard and it’s been difficult at times to see and hear all that God is doing in us and with us. We love the life and freedom that we are coming to know and that others are sharing in with us, but at times it isn’t easy. Crying out to God, wrestling with Him for direction and wading through the hard things to get to Him aren’t fun, but they are good. For God to provide for us and resource us with friends and allies, finances and direction and protection that guards us at significant times from the enemy is all wound together in the day to day. I’m learning that my role in all of this has been to not give up seeking and pursuing God.
Persevering in and through trials is seldom fun and yet James 1 invites us to consider it pure joy when we encounter them. It goes to show that long before Jimmy V. uttered the phrase “Don’t give up, don’t ever give up”, hearts have been championing the phrase as an expression and declaration of a heart that is both hurting yet hopeful.
Whatever it is you are challenged with, struggling through or downright gettin’ hammered by –Don’t Give Up! He is with you every step of the way…
