Holding On!

Holding On!

You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail, and when all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew there were better things waiting for you that will last forever. So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Hebrews 10:34‭-‬35 NLT

You do not hear such messages anymore: that there can be suffering and pain even when walking with God. Most of what you hear these days are the benefits and gains that come from walking with God. We forget that walking with God calls for careful consideration, where we are expected to sit down, count the cost of denying ourselves and following Jesus every day. There will be good days, and there is an assurance also that some days may not be so good, but one thing is clear, and as it has been clearly stated in today's extract, it matters where you are located and who you know and belong to.

Paul, writing here, recounted the unusual experiences of some of the men of old. When Joseph, armed with a dream, went down into slavery and prison, did it not appear that God wasn't on his side? When Stephen stood and boldly declared God's mind to the people of his time, and they responded by stoning him to death, did it not appear that God was silent? When Abraham had to leave the familiar and go out on a journey of unknown destination or timeframe, all he had was an assurance of God's presence and promise.

Nothing around these men at the time looked right; but they knew God who knew the end from the beginning and they were assured He had their back. As I take stock of my own life now, can I go out with that same assurance, certain that all will end well, no matter what it looks like now?

What keeps me sane must be an understanding of the times and seasons I am in. Nothing down here was built to last forever, and only the eyes of faith can look beyond the now into the great future God has in store. The early church gave all it had and shared it with those in need, because they had that clear understanding. Today, we hoard as much as we can, and seek only after our own interests.

The charge is this: keep your eyes on the prize. When that is settled, the temporary discomfort and inconvenience will not be a challenge. Nothing on this side of earth can secure your future, because the world itself is uncertain about its future. You are only safe and secure in the confident assurance that God will reward you if you sradn firm to the end, as God's promise of eternal life is to those who hold on to the end. Where do you stand? Where do I stand? His time of favour is here.