Are you willing to run the race God has called you to run through 'thicket and thin wood'? The expression 'through thick and thin' has its roots in one of England's oldest expressions, 'through thicket and thin wood'. Early England's countryside had few roads and was covered with wooded pastures that often had to be traversed in order to get to a destination. In fact, cross country running as a sport originated in England where the original courses included grass, mud, woodlands, and even water! The distance alone in a cross country run was hard enough, but running through mud, woods, and even water? And yet we that are running the race called the Christian life face a lot more trouble then mud, woods and water. We face disappointments, heartache, fear, and circumstances that test the very fabric of our being.
The apostle Paul knew what it was like to stick with God and His people through thick and thin [i.e., "at all seasons"]. He knew he was called to be a servant, and he knew heartache [i.e., "tears"], and he knew the constant bombardment of circumstances that challenged his willingness to humbly serve the Lord in the Spirit of meekness [i.e., temptations/trials].
And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons,
Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations [trials, testings], which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews:
But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish [or, fulfill] my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
Acts 20:18-19, 24
Are you willing to stay in the race through thicket and thin wood? through thick and thin? through your tears and your testings?
Paul knew the key to the joy of fulfilling God's mission was a willingness to humbly serve the Lord, and not be concerned with how well things seemed to be going for him personally.
In Hebrews, we read:
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
For consider him that endured such opposition of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
Hebrews 12:1-3
Jesus saw the joy before Him in fulfilling God's mission and endured the opposition, the shame and the pain. Now the big question for you and for me, is are we willing to endure the opposition, and whatever shame and pain it can dish out?
Are we willing to finish the race and fulfill the mission?
Run for God, my brothers and sisters, Run. Do not be wearied or faint in your minds. Turn your eyes upon Jesus, and the mud, the woods, and the water will not deter you. Run, Christian, run. Serve the Lord with humility of mind. Put self concerns aside, and the tears and the testings will not deter you. Finish the race, fulfill the mission. Run, Christian run.
Yours in Him,
Pastor B.
The apostle Paul knew what it was like to stick with God and His people through thick and thin [i.e., "at all seasons"]. He knew he was called to be a servant, and he knew heartache [i.e., "tears"], and he knew the constant bombardment of circumstances that challenged his willingness to humbly serve the Lord in the Spirit of meekness [i.e., temptations/trials].
And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons,
Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations [trials, testings], which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews:
But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish [or, fulfill] my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
Acts 20:18-19, 24
Are you willing to stay in the race through thicket and thin wood? through thick and thin? through your tears and your testings?
Paul knew the key to the joy of fulfilling God's mission was a willingness to humbly serve the Lord, and not be concerned with how well things seemed to be going for him personally.
In Hebrews, we read:
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
For consider him that endured such opposition of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
Hebrews 12:1-3
Jesus saw the joy before Him in fulfilling God's mission and endured the opposition, the shame and the pain. Now the big question for you and for me, is are we willing to endure the opposition, and whatever shame and pain it can dish out?
Are we willing to finish the race and fulfill the mission?
Run for God, my brothers and sisters, Run. Do not be wearied or faint in your minds. Turn your eyes upon Jesus, and the mud, the woods, and the water will not deter you. Run, Christian, run. Serve the Lord with humility of mind. Put self concerns aside, and the tears and the testings will not deter you. Finish the race, fulfill the mission. Run, Christian run.
Yours in Him,
Pastor B.
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