He will never let go, no matter
what.
While reading in 2nd
Corinthians 11 and 12 today I was amazed at the long list of events that Paul
went through and yet stayed strong in Christ. He was beaten so many times,
whipped, thrown in prison, shipwrecked more than once; yet He did not give up on
God. How many of us would do the same?
There are words in a song I like
that hit straight to the heart every time I hear it; No, Lord you never let go,
through the calm and through the storm... Lord you never let go of me...” I
believe Paul could have sung that song with conviction! Which brings me to our
thought to ponder this week; do we live our lives with conviction to Christ-like
living?
Selah.
He said to me, “My grace is enough for you, because
power is made perfect in weakness.” So I’ll gladly spend my time bragging about
my weaknesses so that Christ’s power can rest on me. Therefore, I’m all right
with weaknesses, insults, disasters, harassments, and stressful situations for
the sake of Christ, because when I’m weak, then I’m strong.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
Paul, being a Roman citizen could
have stayed out of prison. He could have punished those Jewish leaders who tried
to catch him or slander him; but no, Paul chose to live in, and for Christ. Paul
chose to accept the things that were thrown at him, the whippings, the horrible
things even his own brothers and sisters in Christ would say in gossip about
him. He counted it all joy, as James tells us to do.
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into
various trials,
knowing that the testing of
your faith produces patience.
But let patience have
its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete,
lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to
all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to
him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who
doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the
wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive
anything from the Lord;
he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his
ways. James 1:3-8
We must be content with what
comes at us in life but at the same time do not become complacent. We must trust
that when God is for us nothing, or no one, can stand against us. And we must be
certain that we know that Christ Jesus will not let go of us.
A story many pastors have used
tells about a man who is dangling at the end of a long rope. He calls out to the
Lord to pull him up, only to have the Lord say “let Go”.
I want to take that story a step
further. When God opens our eyes to see what is really going on in this lesson
we will see that the reason God can say let go is because he already has a hold
of us as we hang there. We are hanging or more correctly cradled in His embrace.
When the Lord says 'let go' we must accept that He already has a hold of us and
He will carry us through the distance we fallen and place us back on safe footing, or solid ground. Then He will tell us to
continue on the path He started us going on. He never lets go.
You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier
of Jesus Christ.
No one engaged in warfare
entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a
soldier.
And also if anyone competes in
athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the
rules. The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the
crops. Consider what I say, and may the
Lord give you understanding in all things. 2 Timothy
2:4-7
If we
endure,
We shall also reign with Him.
If we deny Him,
He also will deny us.
If we are faithless,
He remains faithful;He cannot deny Himself. 2 Timothy 2:12-13
We shall also reign with Him.
If we deny Him,
He also will deny us.
If we are faithless,
He remains faithful;He cannot deny Himself. 2 Timothy 2:12-13
He is faithful to complete the
work in us that He started, even if we run into a few walls and cliffs, or even
prisons and beatings, according to Paul; He is faithful to finish the work He
has started in us.
And I am certain that God, who began the good work
within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when
Christ Jesus returns. Philippians 1:6
So why not accept the things we
have to change to be more like Him? Why not accept the things we can't change
and become more like Him? Why not follow Paul, James, and Timothy's examples and
fight through the trials, the accusations and the complaints that others have
claimed against us when we know we are standing on the right path? Christ is for
us, and if we are doing the thing we know to be what Jesus would do, then we
know He is with us in it. If we are the ones complaining, or the ones who have
pushed ourselves off a cliff we can cry out to Jesus and know that He will
return us to a safe place. Sometimes He may allow us to climb back up the cliff,
and sometimes we may have to take a leap of faith; but our God will never leave
us nor forsake us. He who started the work will be faithful to complete it in
you, He will never let go. He may just pull us up while we are hanging on.
Dear Heavenly Father, complete
the work you started in us today. Help us to follow Your will and Your direction
in our lives. Give us ears to hear an eyes to see what Your Spirit is saying to
us today. Thank You that you will not let go of us even if we try to pull away.
In Jesus Name, amen.
Additional Reading:
2 Tim 2 1-26, James 1:1-27, 2
Corinthians 11:1-33 , 2 Corinthians 12:1-21
by Teresa Wilson
teresawilson.com