A member of the family
December 31st, 2009
Scripture:
He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. Revelation 21:7
Observation:
Every year at this time people compile lists, typically top 10 lists of various categories. There are also stories of special people from the year. These are stories of people with special gifts and stories of people that have endured and overcome some type of hardship. They don’t see it as facing hardships, but rather as a challenge or opportunity. We are called to be faithful in everything, to be uncompromising in our view of worldly values, to reject our dependence on ourselves, and to persevere against persecution. It is not a one-time defeat of these challenges, but rather a continuous process. It is a lifestyle that we work at every moment. It is our opportunity to show the world that there is a better way to live. Each of us has our own special trials that we face, but we are all called to overcome. We do this simply because of who God is and He deserves the glory. God will provide everything we need. We will not need artificial light, because God will be our light. Water will flow from His throne to sustain us. It’s all there for those that overcome.
Application:
There is nothing quite like being a parent. We have watched them grow from toddlers to married adults starting their own families. They made some good decisions and some bad. We were there to guide them through both the good and bad. It is delightful to see them learn from there mistakes and avoid them again. I can imagine that we give God that same delight when we learn. I want to learn to be a better son, to strive to overcome, and to avoid situations in which I know I struggle. Just as I have a sense of pride in my children, I want God to have that sense of pride in me.
Prayer:
God, thank you for your promises that you provide to those who fully believe. I pray that you help me to grow in my faith and be strong in it. Help me to learn to be aware of situations that are dangerous to me and to focus on you every day and every moment.
—David Hardin, community missions pastor, Reservoir campus