Persist!

Persist!

And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint. Galatians 6:9 AMPC

The Context and Focus:

Paul writes to the church in Galatia, and it could have been that people were getting tired of doing good. It is hard to keep doing good when nobody seems to appreciate or acknowledge it, and even sometimes ignore or condemn the good you do. It is hard to keep doing the same thing over and over again and not getting any recognition for it. The system of the world is set up to identify physical, tangible things that it can attach value to, and if it is not recognized or seen, it is not likely to be appreciated or applauded. This is the challenge with the world, because it has no other way to measure impact. This is why pretence, eye-service and hypocrisy have become the order of the day with the world. People act only in their own interests, not caring how others are affected or impacted. The world has a picture of success that it cannot define or explain, and it cannot provide a rationale explanation for what is sufficient and what is excess. It is not a wonder then that the people of the world wil chase all that the world offers; the world will not care so much about the intentions or movies behind the actions, as long as the world can reward. 

The Message:

For those who belong to the Word, there must be different standards to live by. The world teaches me to only do things it can recognise and reward; the Word teaches me to only do things that God recognizes and rewards. The issue is that the world teaches a give-and-take mentality or instant gratification: God teaches patience and endurance as I walk with and work for Him, while waiting for the reward He gives. The world focuses on that which is physical and tangible; God deals in both physical and spiritual blessings, but there has to be a waiting period for the full manifestation of all that God has promised. It is possible to look at the people of the world, and almost envy the physical signs of 'success', but there is a need to be careful about taking your eyes off the prize, and focusing on the world's presents. There is nothing the world gives you that will outlive the world, because the end of the world has been defined by the One who made it. The end of all that we see today is unquenchable fire. Should I then focus on things destined for destruction, or on that which endures forever? 

The Conclusion:

With God, there is a due season and an appointed time for all He has planned. I can shout and scream and cry, but that will not change God's mind if He does not want to give me what i want. If I ask and He says No, it is because the time for it has not yet come. Once the time of God's visitation has come, even the devil cannot stop Him from bringing to pass all He has promised. Reaping from God takes different forms, and may not always be physical or tangible. Can you place a value on the peace or hope that you have in Christ? Can you buy safety and security from God at any price, if it were for sale? Can you quantify the blessings you have received from birth, including the ones you did not prepare or plan for? I must note that there is a need to keep at it, doing all that God commands, because He is the rewarder of all who hold on to the end. Do not be discouraged or moved by men's insensitivity, or their forgetfulness; man will always be man, and it is his nature to only remember what is convenient. I serve a God who cannot be deceived, and whose Word can be trusted. If He says He is coming soon to reward all who are waiting for Him, history and current affairs suggest quite clearly that His Word can be trusted.  Would you hold on? God's time of favour is here.