Reflections- “Endurance!” March 8, 2022
If I were a tree…I think that I shall never see, A poem lovely as a tree. A tree whose hungry mouth is prest, Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast. A tree that looks at God all day, And lifts her leafy arms to pray.
Joyce Kilmer’s beginning of the poem, “Trees”, makes me think of the word, Endurance. This creation of God is a picture of us. How we hunger and thirst for righteousness. We are fed by the goodness and creation of God, not only from the earth for our bodies but also for our souls lifting our hearts to the One who sent us through whom we pray.
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him. John 3:16-17.
Mother told me long ago how her father taught her how to plow a straight row. He said, “Don’t look back but set your eyes on the fence post at the end of the field. Move forward.” We do the same thing in our lives when we give our hearts to Jesus and our mind. We have our eternal inheritance as the joy and hope in our lives to keep our eyes on each day. Each command in God’s Word becomes a call to obedience, not a suggestion.
Who is this God Of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses? He is the creator of every star in the night sky. He led the Children of Israel from slavery in Egypt to the freedom of crossing the Red Sea on dry land. He sent Jesus to assure we believe, have faith in Him, and trust in Him. He teaches us what Love really is by sending us His Son Jesus to teach us. Jesus is our doorway to God, the Creator of this universe.
How is He able to be our God, the Creator of the Universe? These two verses from Isaiah 55:8-9 give us a foundation to understand. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
One of my favorite phrases in the Old Testament is, “His love endures forever!” For the Lord is good; His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations. Psalm 100:5.
Praise the Lord! Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever! Psalm 106:1.
Full of splendor and majesty is His work, and his righteousness endures forever. Psalm 111:3.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever! Psalm 111:10.
Praise the Lord, all nations! Extol Him, all peoples! For great is His steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord! Psalm 117:1-2.
The sun to rule over the day, for His steadfast love endures forever; the moon and stars to rule over the night, for His steadfast love endures forever. Psalm 136:8-9.
Two days ago, my granddaughter showed me a chart of genealogy of six or seven generations, covered with names. A long list of family names of people I did not even know. They were just names to me. Yet each decided to trust God every step of the way. They suffered hardships of persecution for their faith in God and left home to survive. They suffered hunger and thirst, plus sickness and always the threat of death wherever they traveled. Yet, one thing I know, they knew the Presence of God, and they trusted Him. They endured because of their faith.
For the Lord is good; His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations. Psalm 100:5.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. Psalm 145:13.
What does it take to endure hardships of the unknown, sickness, hunger, fear, and the separation of death? Perseverance of Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ! And putting on the whole armor of God.
Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints. Ephesians 6:14-18.
Therefore, I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with Him, we will also live with Him; if we endure, we will also reign with Him; if we deny Him, He also will deny us; if we are faithless, He remains faithful—or He cannot deny himself. 2 Timothy 2:10-13.
Where can we find Hope, Joy, Peace, and Love that endures forever? From the Lord Jesus Christ. How can we endure all the things that come our way? How can we be ‘blessable’ in God’s eyes? By blessing our Lord and not look back off the path, but follow the One Who said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know Him and have seen Him.” John 14:6-7.
I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also, my heart instructs me. I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. Psalm 16:7-8.
For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have the strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:14-19.