As a society we are entirely achievement and goal oriented. We celebrate accomplishments, records and wins. We love reading about stars and champions; professional athletes that break new records and researchers that discover medical breakthroughs. Yet, rarely are we privy to read about the mundane hours spent in gyms training, or the agonizing time spent at lab benches. While we celebrate wins, we often neglect to take notice of the perseverance and endurance that wrought these accomplishments.
Last week, as the world watched 33 miners escape the captivity of 69 days spent in the cave of a collapsed mine in Chile, we were given a glimpse at perseverance. Their win was their survival in the most challenging circumstances. It was their determination to persevere that held the spotlight for nearly two months on the world stage.
What a timely reminder for us on our Christian journey.
In Luke 18:1-8 Jesus turns to his disciples, instructing them to pray always and not to give up. In the ensuing parable we are presented with a story about an unkind judge and a persistent widow whose perseverance in asking for justice move the judge to act on her behalf. Jesus is teaching about perseverance in the face of adversity.
So, how do we persevere? Do we just hang on in our own strength?
In 2 Th 3:5 we are told, “May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.” We are able to persevere because at the source of our faith, Jesus Christ’s perseverance is the basis for our endurance. We will never be able to hang on in our own strength, but we can hang on knowing that it is Christ’s perseverance that empowers and strengthens the believer to endure.
When the Chilean miners were asked about how the 33 men had endured, the men responded by saying, “We were 33 + 1.” Each one alluded to the fact that they had endured by the strength and perseverance of Jesus Christ.
Whatever we may be facing as a family, as an individual, as friends, if we pray and commit ourselves to Jesus Christ, we are always “+1” strong.
May Christ’s perseverance be your strength and endurance this very day,
Dcn. Kirsten