Keep Pedaling

       Yesterday morning at 8:00 eight college-aged young people hopped on their bikes at the pier in Bar Harbor for the beginning of a one-month (plus) bike tour to Key West, Florida. They arrived from their home base in the York, Pennsylvania area at our church building on Saturday – a nice, but cool day. It was cooler than they had expected. And, indeed, we have been about 10 degrees lower in our daily temperatures than usual. They were cold. When they left yesterday (Monday) it was not only chilly, it was raining quite steadily. It was one of those situations where you might be tempted to say, “It could be worse.”… but don’t because some other difficulty could arise. Did I mention it was a little windy as well? Not exactly an auspicious beginning. They were expecting to ride about 85 miles down Route 1 to Rockport on Monday. It was a tough day to start their journey and just before they left the church building to go to the pier we prayed together. I prayed for God’s protection from injury and from discouragement. On such a journey there are likely to be many times of discouragement, frustration, and the temptation to give up. It will take a high level of determination for them to persevere. We all understand this from the times of discouragement we have faced.

       How would you pray for discouraged people? What would you say in your prayer? In order to persevere through adversity and discouragement, a person needs a vision - a goal – that keeps them “pedaling”… that keeps them moving forward. If the goal is worthy enough… if it is compelling enough… discouragement can be overcome. Without that goal, however, discouragement will most always lead to despair and to giving up in one form or another.

       Jesus is our great example in persevering. Hebrews 12:2 speaks of Christ enduring the cross “for the joy set before Him”. The joy He was looking to was returning to the right hand of the Father’s throne in heaven. Hebrews 12 begins with a reference to the great cloud of witnesses (from chapter 11) who were people of great faith. They are an encouragement to the believer in Jesus Christ at all times, but especially in times when we might be tempted to give up, because by faith they persevered. Yet, it is not by looking to them that we will persevere. Our “goal” – more worthy than anything – is Jesus Himself. We are called to “fix our eyes on Him” – the One who is at the “finish line” if you will. Without that vision of Him… that desire to know Him, be with Him, to see Him meet all of our needs… discouragement and despair will attack us and will lead us to give up. Jesus will not let that happen to the one who trusts in Him. The power that raised Him from the dead is the power that He also gives to those who love Him – those to whom He has given life.

       While we may live through many “it could be worse” situations we can take heart because there is nothing that we face that Christ has not already defeated. He will see us through. Our main need is to see Him… to be undeterred in keeping our eyes on Him. May God’s grace be given to us in abundance so that our faith may be strong as He sees us through to victory over every adversity. And may He receive much glory through us.

Hebrews 12:1-2 (NIV) ¹  Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. ²  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Romans 8:35-39 (NIV) ³⁵  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ³⁶  As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." ³⁷  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹  neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

PRAYER: “Father, thank You that Jesus is at the “end” of our earthly journey. Guide us to always keep Him in our focus as the hardships of life seek to blur our vision and tempt us to despair and to give up. Thank You not only for the example of Christ, but for the gift of faith and the presence and power of Christ Himself through the Holy Spirit to give us victory. May His power be at work in us, and may all discouragement be defeated. Be glorified in all these things in my life.  In Jesus’ name I pray, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!

Scott