January 12, 2024 7:00 pm
When I was studying in seminary years ago, we had a weekly chapel service. At one service, while we students were singing “Great is the Lord,” I spotted three of our well-loved professors singing with fervor. Their faces radiated joy, made possible only by their faith in God. Years later, as each went through terminal illness, it was this faith that enabled them to endure and encourage others.
Today, the memory of my teachers singing continues to encourage me to keep going in my trials. To me, they’re a few of the many inspiring stories of people who lived by faith. They’re a reminder of how we can follow the author’s call in Hebrews 12:2−3 to fix our eyes on Jesus who “For the joy set before him . . . endured the cross” (v. 2).
When trials—from persecution or life’s challenges—make it hard to keep going, we have the example of those who took God at His word and trusted in His promises. We can “run with perseverance the race marked out for us” (v. 1), remembering that Jesus—and those who have gone before us—was able to endure. The writer urges us to “Consider him . . . so that [we] will not grow weary and lose heart” (v. 3).
My teachers, now happy in heaven, would likely say: “The life of faith is worth it. Keep going.”
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Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. Our reading, titled, Persevering in Jesus, was written by Karen Huang. When I was studying in seminary years ago, we had a weekly chapel service. At one service, while we students were singing, Great is the Lord, I spotted three of our well-loved professors singing with fervor. Their faces radiated joy, made possible only by their faith in God. Years later, as each went through terminal illness, it was this faith that enabled them to endure and encourage others. Today, the memory of my teachers singing continues to encourage me to keep going in my trials. To me, they're a few of the many inspiring stories of people who lived by faith.
They're a reminder of how we can follow the author's call in Hebrews chapter 12, verses 2 through 3, to fix our eyes on Jesus, who, for the joy set before him, endured the cross. When trials from persecution or life's challenges make it hard to keep going, we have the example of those who took God at His Word and trusted in His promises. We can run with perseverance the race marked out for us, remembering that Jesus and those who have gone before us was able to endure. The writer urges us to consider Him so that we will not grow weary and lose heart. My teachers, now happy in heaven, would likely say, the life of faith is worth it.
Keep going. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Hebrews chapter 12, verses 1 through 3. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.
For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Let's pray. Dear Jesus, help us to keep fixing our eyes on You. When we're weary and losing heart, thank You for Your example and those of others who've gone before us to help us continue to press on. Thank You, Lord. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Thanks for listening today. My name is Joy Stinkins, and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.
Whisper: medium.en / 2024-01-12 21:35:32 / 2024-01-12 21:37:00 / 1
