"Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always
abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor
is not in vain." (1 Corinthians 15:58 ESV)
The sign read, “House
for Rent. Hot and Cold Running Water.”
Though laughable now,
there was a time when having indoor plumbing was a luxury that only the
wealthy knew anything about. Water was drawn from a well or creek and
was carried indoors. Getting hot water meant cutting wood and placing
cold water in pots in the fireplace or on a wood-burning stove.
On a recent mid-August trip through the Great Smokey Mountain National
Park, my wife and I noticed the tree leaves in the highest elevations
turning. Odd this early, I thought, but then again, that's what tree
leaves do. As the summer season draws to a close and the daylight hours
get shorter, the leaves lose their luminescence and reveal their natural
colour. The yellows were shining through beautifully.
Christians
shouldn't run hot and cold or change seasonally like tree leaves. Paul
encouraged the early believers to be steadfast in their love for the
Lord, as well as in their work for Him. Only by steadfastness would they
be able to fulfill Jesus' great commission to take the gospel to the
ends of the earth.
We hear a lot about pastors burning out and
leaving the pulpit, but I've known quite a few regular Christians who
burned out, too. Burnout can come from trying too hard to alleviate
feelings of guilt over past sins, from wrong motives for serving, or
from trying to boost one's self-esteem.
Another entire set tends
to drop out rather than burn out. Among 18- to 22-year-olds, around 70%
drop out of church after graduating from high school. Reasons they give
for doing so include life changes, needing a break, moving away to
college, work interference, judgmental or unfriendly pastors or church
members, a change in their views, or an acknowledgement that previously
they were only trying to please someone by attending.
God's work
requires steadfast determination. The abundant life that Jesus offers
requires the same. Otherwise, we'll change like the leaves or run hot
and cold like water. The power to remain steadfast doesn't lie in us,
but in God's Spirit indwelling us. He provides the want-to that keeps us
keeping on — and for the right reasons.
Don't run hot and cold or
turn like the leaves. Serve God with consistency and diligence.
Prayer: Father, enable us to check our motives for serving You, and
then, give us staying power to serve You faithfully until the end. Amen.
Martin Wiles
Greenwood, South Carolina, USA
Reprinted from the
PresbyCan Daily
Devotional with the author's permission
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