Sunday, June 16, 2013

Do you have what it takes?

Are you a person of endurance?  What does it take to endure? 

Endurance brings an image to mind of winning and shining!  I think of the exhilarating feeling, a high sense of finishing a race & the heightened feeling of accomplishment.   

Side note to what I'm talking about here.  Can I tell you that I am smiling over the fact that my husband told me that he is memorizing 1 Corinthians 13 (known as the love chapter).  It is quite endearing to me to sit with the Bible on my lap, listening to my husband recite the scrippys to me, that is never-changing about love.  As I listen to him speak, I cannot seem to get past this scrippy: 


Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.  1 Corinthians 13:6 NLT

The word endure has been jumping out at me for the last week.  

Endurance, to me, is that of the triathlete - someone who has given up many hours to train, given up sleep & relationships (temporarily) to accomplish the goal - to finish the race they have committed to do. We applaud those who have so disciplined/conditioned themselves to accomplish such a goal. 

While thinking on the training of the triathlete, I got an eye-opening thought of a far greater illustration of endurance.

For the joy that was set before Him (Jesus) endured the cross.           Hebrews 12:2 NKJV

This is the ultimate show of endurance.  Because of His great love for us, He endured the suffering of the cross.  It was all for us so that we could regain our rightful relationship with Him.  Talk about endurance!    


While I am slightly jealous (for lack of my own self-disciple) of the endurance of the triathlete,  I will say, I am far more intrigued and wowed by the self-sacrifice of Jesus, for the sake of others.   ENDURANCE perfected. 

6 comments:

  1. Amen! May we endure for the sake of the cross even in tumultuous times....Sometimes it will be so hard just breathing but Jesus went through the valley before us and is calling us from the other side :) Kim

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  2. Kim - for the sake of the cross, I know it is all worth it!

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    1. Amen ! May we endure this difficult world with all it's trial and tribulations with our eyes fixed on the cross set before us <3

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  3. The greatest display of endurance we've ever read about, has to be Jesus and his crucifixion. As for me, making it through a day, week, or month, without sinning. Lord I long for the day you come to free me from this limited soul.

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  4. Hi Mike - that day is coming and thank the Lord we know where we are going. Just don't miss what you have in one given day to give to another....and thinking about your brother...and believing for the best my dear friend!

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    1. I must confess sometimes it's easy to forget how blessed we are to just be alive. In working with people living in the latter years of there lives, there are two different groups. One side understands how short and precious life is and is very grateful. The other side complains about every thing and lives it out childishly. They find little or no value in anything. Yet another great reason work on our relationship with Jesus. The closer I am to him, the better is is for all of those in my life.

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