{"id":3568,"date":"2015-09-21T00:00:22","date_gmt":"2015-09-21T07:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/?p=3568"},"modified":"2015-09-20T23:17:40","modified_gmt":"2015-09-21T06:17:40","slug":"921-never-give-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/2015\/09\/21\/921-never-give-up\/","title":{"rendered":"9\/21: Never Give Up (\u7bb423:10-18 \u52a06:1-18 \u8d5b49:8-51:16)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u7bb423:10-18 \u52a06:1-18 \u8d5b49:8-51:16<\/h2>\n

Never Give Up<\/h2>\n
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Sir Winston Churchill has been described as Britain\u2019s greatest ever leader. He lived a long, heroic life and he rallied a nation with his inspiring rhetoric. One of the most striking parts of his biography is that he had to resign from the Admiralty during WWI over the failed Dardanelles campaign. He had failed spectacularly, yet he was to learn not to give up.<\/p>\n

Legend has it that once, when he returned to his old school, Harrow, to address the boys, the whole school assembled to listen to his words of wisdom. The great man arose to speak: \u2018Young men; never give up, never give up, never give up.\u2019 The entire speech lasted only a few seconds. Then he sat down. No one present ever forgot his words.<\/p>\n

That is, at least, the popular version of the story. Churchill did indeed say words to that effect, but as part of a longer speech. Towards the end of the speech he said, \u2018Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never \u2013 in nothing, great or small, large or petty \u2013 never give in, except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force. Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.\u2019<\/p>\n

In today\u2019s generation our lives have become so instantaneous that anything requiring patient perseverance can appear unattractive. We require instant returns and instant results. But sometimes the biggest pay-offs are a long time coming.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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1. Never give up being enthusiastic<\/h2>\n

Proverbs 23:10-18<\/a>\u2018Do not <\/em>let your heart envy <\/em>sinners, but always be zealous<\/em> for the fear of the Lord. There is surelya future hope for you<\/em>, and your hope will not be cut off\u2019 (vv.17\u201318).<\/p>\n

St Paul wrote something similar: \u2018Never be lacking in zeal<\/em>, but keep your spiritual fervour\u2019 (Romans 12:11). We should be as enthusiastic as the day we first encountered Jesus. As Bear Grylls says, \u2018Be the most enthusiastic person you know. Enthusiasm sustains you when times are tough, encourages those around you and is totally infectious.\u2019<\/p>\n

Looking back through an old Bible, I see that many years ago I wrote in the margin next to these verses in Proverbs: \u2018I am feeling rather envious of the people [my work colleagues at the time] and their work. This is the Lord\u2019s word to me \u2013 not to be envious, but instead to be zealous for him<\/em> \u2013 and he promises \u201ca bright future\u201d (Proverbs 23:18, GNB). Praise the Lord for that promise to cling to for my work.\u2019<\/p>\n

Lord, help me never to be lacking in zeal, but to keep my spiritual fervour. Keep me from envy. Thank you that you promise me \u2018a bright future\u2019.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

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2. Never give up doing good<\/h2>\n

Galatians 6:1-18<\/a>\u2018Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest\u00a0if we do not give up<\/em>\u2019 (v.9).<\/p>\n

As Paul reached the end of this letter, he encouraged the Galatians to work together as a team. If someone is going off the path, seek to restore them gently (v.1a). But also watch yourself lest you be tempted (v.1b). You are responsible for your own life: \u2018Each one should test his own actions\u2026 for each one should carry his own load\u2019 (vv.4\u20135).<\/p>\n

We also have a responsibility for other members of the team: \u2018Carry each other\u2019s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ\u2019 (v.2).<\/p>\n

Paul assumes we all have burdens. The word used means \u2018heavy burdens\u2019. It is a wide-ranging term that includes suffering, illnesses, physical disabilities, sorrows, grief, worries, responsibilities (financial and other), temptations, errors, doubts, weaknesses and failures (moral and other). In other words, it includes any and every load that is hard to bear.<\/p>\n

One of the ways in which Jesus bears these burdens of yours is through human friendship. This was the way in which Titus helped to bear Paul\u2019s burdens.<\/p>\n

I like to be independent and self-sufficient, not relying on other people, but I am designed to be a burden to you and you are designed to be a burden to me: \u2018Carry each other\u2019s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ\u2019 (v.2).<\/p>\n

I can only say that in my own life I am so grateful to those close friends with whom we talk and pray regularly, who have helped us at times when the burdens have seemed too heavy for us to carry alone. We have been through many things together. We have suffered together and rejoiced together. All this has helped to spread the load.<\/p>\n

The object of the team is to carry on sowing good seed. \u2018People reap what they sow. Those who sow to please their sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; those who sow to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life\u2019 (vv.7\u20138).<\/p>\n

So, St Paul wrote to the Galatians, \u2018Do not give up\u2019 (v.9). The temptation is to become weary in doing good. But the promise is that you will reap a harvest if you do not give up. Take every opportunity to do good to all people, \u2018especially to those who belong to the family of believers\u2019 (v.10).<\/p>\n

There are so many discouragements around. There are huge temptations to give up. When you sow a seed, you do not see the results immediately; it takes time. Sometimes, it\u2019s only when we look back years later that we can see that the seed we have sown has finally borne a harvest. There are also many seeds sown about which we will know nothing until we see the harvest in heaven. One of the keys to staying positive is to keep an eternal perspective.<\/p>\n

Paul never gave up preaching the simple message of the \u2018cross of Christ\u2019 (v.12). He kept on going and he kept on sowing. He refused to add or subtract from the message. He also refused to preach a more popular message in order to avoid persecution (v.12). As a result, he was persecuted. He wrote, \u2018I bear on my body the marks of Jesus\u2019 (v.17).<\/p>\n

Lord, help me to keep on sowing, keep on doing good, and hold on to your promise that, at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we\u00a0do not give up<\/em>.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

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3. Never give up trusting in God\u2019s love<\/h2>\n

Isaiah 49:8-51:16<\/a>Each morning, Isaiah waited on God to speak to him and to instruct him, so that he would know the right words to \u2018sustain the weary\u2019 \u2013 to encourage those who were tempted to give up (50:4).<\/p>\n

In this passage, the way he did this was by speaking to them about God\u2019s love for them. He spoke of God\u2019s compassion (49:10\u201313), and he used five analogies for God\u2019s love.<\/p>\n