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Friday, September 16, 2016

 

Today, I would like to create an imaginary friend, and let us say that we call him Peter. Before I proceed however, I would like to add a caveat, if there are any similarities between Peter and any person living or dead, know that it is not a coincidence. Let us continue; Peter has just joined a local gym in order to start an exercise routine because he is some 15 –20 LBS overweight. Following Peter’s first session at the gym, he decides to weigh himself. Peter discovers that he did not lose any weight on his first day. Therefore, Peter decides to quit the gym since he did not lose the excess weight during his first session. You are more than likely thinking the obvious; that it is going to take more than one class for Peter to lose the weight, he is going to need to learn how to endure.

 

For the most part, I believe that we can all agree that it is always easier to start something than it is to finish. For example, it is easier to start reading a book than it is to finish it. Getting married is easy; the hard part is staying together. Starting a business is easy making it successful is hard. The same is true concerning faith; it is easy to acquire faith, the hard part is putting our faith into practice. It is like the person who says, “I was a Christian at one time, even went to church for a couple of weeks, but it did not work for me. Just as going to the gym once is not going to produce the desired results; practicing your faith in all areas of your life is going to require more than two or three visits to church. In order to be successful in any area of your life, you will need to learn to endure all the obstacles, challenges, distractions, and interruptions that life will throw your way.

 

Matthew 24:14 AMP

But the one who endures and bares up (under suffering) to the end will be saved.

 

Can you imagine what Noah had to endure while he built the ark God commanded him to build?  He had to endure all sorts of doubts, risks, obstacles, challenges, distractions and interruptions, yet, in the end, his endurance paid off. Scholars believe that it took Noah no less then 80 years to build the ark and some say that it took him up to 140 years.Today’s Christians pray, and if by tomorrow God has not answered them, before the next day arrives, they are out. Believers today practice Biblical principles for marriage, but if their marriage is not fixed by the end of the month, they want a divorce. Similarly, they practice Biblical principles for giving, but if they do not prosper by the end of the week, they stop giving.

 

To walk in Noah’s shoes means to endure. It means to persevere despite the doubts, obstacles, challenges, distractions, and interruptions that life may throw your way.