Faith to PERSEVERE in a Pandemic

​As we begin another week in the new abnormal, the weariness within continues to mount and take its toll. These unprecedented challenges we are facing today are new for us all, but they are far from new to mankind, after all (there is nothing new under the sun) as the scriptures remind us. When weariness and exhaustion have invaded the seemingly manageable rhythm of my life and ministry in the past, I have found new strength to persevere in these devotional words from Oswald Chambers  "The Faith to Persevere".
Perseverance, means more than endurance, more than simply holding on until the end. A saint’s life is in the hands of God like a bow and arrow in the hands of an archer. God is aiming at something the saint cannot see, but our Lord continues to stretch and strain, and every once in a while, the saint says, “I can’t take any more.” Yet God pays no attention; He goes on stretching until His purpose is in sight, and then He lets the arrow fly. Entrust yourself to God’s hands. Is there something in your life for which you need perseverance right now? Maintain your intimate relationship with Jesus Christ through the perseverance of faith. Proclaim as Job did, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” (Job 13:15).
Faith is not some weak and pitiful emotion, but is strong and vigorous confidence built on the fact that God is holy love. And even though you cannot see Him right now and cannot understand what He is doing, you know Him. Disaster occurs in your life when you lack the mental composure that comes from establishing yourself on the eternal truth that God is holy love. Faith is the supreme effort of your life— throwing yourself with abandon and total confidence upon God.

God ventured His all in Jesus Christ to save us, and now He wants us to venture our all with total abandoned confidence in Him. There are areas in our lives where that faith has not worked in us as yet, places still untouched by the life of God. There were none of those places in Jesus Christ’s life, and there are to be none in ours. Jesus prayed, “This is eternal life, that they may know You…” (John 17:3). The real meaning of eternal life is a life that can face anything it has to face without wavering. If we will take this view, life will become one great romance,  a glorious opportunity of seeing wonderful things all the time. God is disciplining us to get us into this central place of power. “Because you have kept My command to persevere.”  Rev. 3:10

Grace, peace and perseverance be with you,
​Fr. Greg+ 

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