How Can I Be the Kind of Faithful Person God Honors?
We desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end. Hebrews 6:11
The Book of Hebrews was written to a persecuted church with several members thinking of rejecting the gospel and returning to Judaism. The writer urged his readers to keep going in faith and not to quit. Have you ever been tempted to give up in the Christian life? A friend of mine grew so frustrated with his circumstances that he quit his pastorate, divorced his wife, turned his back on God, and eventually developed a serious drug addiction. He finally came back to Christ, but he lost eleven years of his life in that whirlwind of rebellion. He was living his life in reverse at full speed!
The best rewards in the Christian life are at the finish line, not at the starting gate. The writer of Hebrews urged “diligence” in the Christian life. That word in the New Testament means “to have an earnest desire to accomplish a thing” – not just to start it, but to finish it as well. We are to set our sights on “the end.” The Greek word for end is related to the cry of Jesus from the Cross, when He said, “It is finished!” (John 19:30). The word means “the limit of activity” or “the final result.”
When my daughter was young, she was a fast sprinter, and like all young runners, she had to learn not to watch the other runners. To finish first she had to focus on the finish line, not on anything else. The same is true in our faithfulness to Christ. In order to keep going, we have to learn to take the long view and keep our eyes on the prize.*
Oh God, You have blessed me with every spiritual blessing in Christ, and I won’t look back or turn back from serving You. Lead me today Lord, and I will follow. Amen.
*Kie Bowman, Austin, Texas
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