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REFLECTION

The theme for reflection is “A call to persevere” To persevere means to make an effort to do or achieve something despite counterinfluences, opposition, or discouragement. A call to persevere is an admonition to believers to remain faithful to Christ, regardless of the challenges, until the day of salvation or redemption. We shall reflect on the fact that to persevere, we must

1. Focus on the promises of God through faith.
2. Fear the wrath and judgment of God.
3. Endure persecutions and do the will of God.

Beloved in the Lord, for believers to persevere until the day of the Lord, they must hold to the promises of God through faith. Faith keeps us hopeful and zealous in enduring hardship for the sake of the Lord. The writer of Hebrews appreciated the persecutions his audience may be going through, hence he assured them to rely on the assurance of their faith in God. “…let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:22-23) Dear friend in Christ, the temptation to succumb to the challenges of life and give up on our salvation is a constant battle we shall be fighting with Satan. Satan’s goal is to tempt us or place impediments on our path; therefore, we must continue to persevere in faith. Faith keeps us focused on God’s promises and assurances. Faith enables us to look beyond our current challenges and focus on the promise of God’s salvation. Many believers in our time continue to dwindle in faith, and as a result, are losing focus and succumbing to the pressures of the world and the manipulative schemes of Satan. Some are not in the habit of missing the fellowship of believers and prioritising our worldly pleasures and meetings over the place of worship. It is for this purpose that the writer of Hebrews greatly encourages believers, “…let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another —and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:24-25)

Second, to persevere, we must fear the wrath and judgment of God. Beloved in the Lord, we must keep in mind that no one can stand the wrath of God, and hell is real, and these facts must cause us to persevere to the end. The writer of Hebrews cautioned us, “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. 28 Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Hebrews 10:26-31)

Thirdly, to persevere and be saved, we are greatly admonished to endure suffering or persecution and constantly do the will of God. To endure persecutions on account of our faith is also doing the will of God, apart from remaining obedient to His Word. We are greatly emboldened when the writer of Hebrews wrote, “Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering. 33 Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. 34 You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you had better and lasting possessions. 35 So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. 36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. 37 For, “In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.” (Hebrews 10:32-37) Again, we are assured in Matthew 5:11 that “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Dear child of God, it is worth persevering rather than giving up or losing focus. Let us continue to be strengthened through prayer and the Word of God to remain steadfast and faithful to the end.

In summary, we have learn that to persevere to the end, we must focus on the promises of God through faith, fear the wrath and judgment of God, and endure persecutions and do the will of God. Shalom.

PRAYER

May the Holy Spirit strengthen us to focus on God’s promises, fear the wrath and judgment of God and also endure persecutions and do the will of God. Amen.