To Campers, Individuals, and Churches

             Have you ever watched your favorite sports team cruise through the first part of the season doing great, then basically give up on the rest of the season  after getting clobbered one time?  I am sure that I am not the only one whose favorite team has done this.  There have been instances where I was certain that my team could have won the championship if they had not let that one loss get them down.

           Is there anything that we can learn from this to apply to our own Christian walk?  Certainly!  As Christians, we should be encouraged to be faithful in our commitment to the Lord.  Why?  Because God demanded it, God demonstrated it, and God deserves it.  Let me explain.  God demanded faithfulness!  The Bible says in I Corinthians 4:2, “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.”  A steward is anyone who is entrusted with anything.  God has entrusted us with time, money, possessions, skills, and everything else that we have.  Therefore, He has the right to demand faithfulness.

           As if His command were not enough reason, we should be encouraged to be faithful because God

demonstrated faithfulness.  God has always done what He said He would do. (Deuteronomy 7:9)  No one can truthfully say that God did not keep His promises.  If He has been faithful to us, then we too should be faithful to Him.

           In addition, when you consider the character and actions of God, it becomes obvious that God deserves our faithfulness.  He is holy, all-powerful, all-knowing, loving, merciful and gracious.  He has made a way for us to be forgiven of the debt of sin that would otherwise require an eternity of payment by torture in the lake of fire. Not only that, but His forgiveness allows us to gain the inheritance of the sons of God.  Over the ages, many warriors have devoted their lives to fight for kings that represented noble codes.  How much more does God in his righteousness deserve our faithfulness?

           Yes, the devil wants us to feel the weariness and frustration of defeat.  I, too, sometimes feel like quitting.  But don’t give up, even if you have more losses than wins.  In Christ, we have the ultimate victory! (I Corinthians 15:57)

                                

                      Love in Christ, Daniel Osborne

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