Stand Firm in the Day...

I remember a day last summer when my family and I were enjoying a day at the beach here in South Carolina. On that particular day,  the sea was a little rough and the undertow was quite strong. As I was getting up from being knocked down by a rather large wave, I planted my feet firmly in the sand so that I might get my footing and be prepared for the next monstrous wave that was only seconds away. Unfortunately, we all know that saying about shifting sand….needless to say, I was once again deposited on my backside and immersed in a wall of salt water.

As I made my way to the shore, each step seemed to grow in its intensity as I sought to keep my feet from sinking in the sand. As the receding water returned to its former glory of the massive ocean, I struggled to make my way to the shoreline. Once in the shallows, I sank my toes and feet into the sand and gazed out to sea ….all the while feeling the sand being pulled from beneath my feet as the ocean tried to pull me back into the deeper waters.

Now, I had taken a firm stand there in the shallow pool at the point where water and sand collide, only to have my footing eroded with each ebb and flow of the outgoing tide. No matter how firmly I stood my ground (or sand in this case), it was always being swept away by the strong pull of the ocean’s current.

The same seems to happen to each of us as we try to stand firm in our faith these days. Circumstances and disappointments seem to erode the very foundation on which we stand and our faith often falters as we seek shelter from this cruel, unforgiving world. What should we do when everything around us seems to be crumbling beneath us?  

The apostle Paul tells us in I Thessalonians 2:15, “So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or our letter.”

In the midst of the trials and times of discouragement that we all face these days, we can find encouragement in Jesus and in our relationship with Him. As we seek His face and the words of His Holy Scripture, we can stand firm and focus on who He is and who He has called us to be in these last days.

Paul goes on to say, “Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.” I Thess. 2:16-17

Now is not the time to be sitting on the sidelines, hoping that things will eventually get better…NOW IS THE TIME TO BE AT WORK FOR CHRIST….using the powers and energy that God has provided to keep us busy for His Kingdom. We are to be using our good words and our good works to attract others to the life-saving knowledge of our Savior….He is not one of the “things” in our life…HE IS THE ONE THING IN OUR LIFE….and it shows!!!!

We have all heard it said that when you leave this world, you can’t take anything with you….well that is ABSOLUTELY WRONG…. You can take your wife, your husband, your children and your grandchildren….even the butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker…all can go with you to heaven.

So share the good news of the gospel; teach children to love their Heavenly Father; build up, strengthen and encourage one another; reach out and lift up the downtrodden; care for those that are heartbroken and forlorn and most of all, STAND FIRM IN JESUS.

Today is the day that the Lord has made…..go out and be counted for Him.

Standing firm….reaching out in Christian love,

WPQ