SOUNDING OUT:
Never Give Up
A couple of years ago I received a book from
a cherished friend. It was Never Give In, The Extraordinary
Character of Winston Churchill by Stephen Mansfield. Although
I was unable at the time to read it, it has provided some much
needed inspiration as I recently picked it up again.
Winston Churchill was indomitable. You may remember
the often-quoted speech he made at Oxford University. I always
thought it to be a bit ironic, that someone who took three years
to get through the eighth grade because he had trouble learning
English, would be asked years later to address the commencement
exercises at Oxford University. Of course, he arrived with his
usual props ? a cigar, a cane and a top hat. As Churchill approached
the podium, the crowd rose in appreciative applause.
With unmatched dignity, he settled the crowd and stood
confident before his admirers. Removing the cigar and carefully
placing the top hat on the podium, Churchill gazed at his waiting
audience. Authority rang in his voice as he shouted, 'Never give
up!' Several seconds passed before he rose to his toes and repeated.
'Never give up!' His words thundered in their ears. There was
a deafening silence as Churchill reached for his hat and cigar,
steadied himself with his cane, and left the platform. His commencement
address was finished.
What great advice! Never give up. No mater what, never
give up! Just never give up. Never give up. Those sentiments are
also echoed in God’s Word.
II Corinthians 3:18; 4:1:
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of
the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory,
even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
4:1Therefore seeing we have this ministry,
as we have received mercy, we faint not;
We “have this ministry,”
or as the Greek puts it, “therefore having this ministry.”
There should be no doubt in our mind; we have this ministry because
WE HAVE RECEIVED MERCY. Our lives have been touched by the master’s
hand and we make beautiful music together. The Living Translation
translates II Corinthians 4:1, “And so, since God in his
mercy has given us this wonderful ministry, we never give up.”
I love that statement. WE NEVER GIVE UP!
Do you see what God sees when you look in a mirror? Do
you see the glory of the Lord and the brilliance of the Christ
in you? Do you see that you have a ministry? God has called you
to serve. (That’s what “ministry” means; it
is a service.)
We can’t let anything or anyone deter us. Paul asked
the Galatians:
Galatians 3:1:
O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not
obey the truth….
We know we do not wrestle against
flesh and blood but against principalities and powers of darkness.
We can’t let the pressures of this life and the discouragement
that comes from setbacks and disappointments cause us to give
up. We must not quit!
I was involved with an over 300-mile run from Rome City,
Indiana to Athens Ohio. It was run by hundreds of people in 10-mile
segments. We called it, The Servant’s Course. There
was a lot of excitement in the runners. They started each segment
with enthusiasm; the challenge was finishing with the same exuberance.
Those of us working and helping coordinate the race had to remember
there were over 30 legs to the race even when each group finished
their leg, we couldn’t quit until the entire course was
finished.
It's not enough for us to begin the race, but we must finish
it. Our adversary works hard to wear us down and cause us to lose
heart and faint in our minds. Don’t let it happen to you.
Stay in the race!
Hebrews 10:23-25:
Let us hold fast the profession [confession, homologia]
of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
24 And let us consider one another
to provoke unto love and to good works:
25 Not forsaking the assembling of
ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one
another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
We are to hold fast, keep secure,
keep firm command of or control over what we say so we can direct
what we do and finish our course. It will take considering one
another and provoking one another; it will require being together
and exhorting one another. Let’s finish our course. Paul
charged Timothy in this respect.
II Timothy 4:2-8:
Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove,
rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
3 For the time will come when they
will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall
they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears
from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
5 But watch thou in all things, endure
afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of
thy ministry.
6 For I am now ready to be offered,
and the time of my departure is at hand.
7 I have fought a good fight, I have
finished my course, I have kept the faith:
8 Henceforth there is laid up for
me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge,
shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them
also that love his appearing.
Let’s love his appearing and
finish our course in anticipation of it. We started the course,
and it’s important that we finish it. Just never quit. Never
give up on God; He never gives up on you. Philippians 1:6 says,
“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath
begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus
Christ.” Paul was confident that God would continue to work
with us until Christ comes back for us at which time we will all
be changed. Until then, let’s finish our course and never
give up!
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