You’re One of Those
Welcome to “Joni and Friends” – I’m Joni Eareckson Tada.
As always, I’m so grateful that you take time out of your busy schedule to join me for these couple of minutes of encouragement. And boy, do we Christians need encouragement. Not long ago I was in a group discussion (a large group with a lot of young people from a certain university) and when it was clear to all that this lady in the wheelchair – aka me – when it was made clear that I was presenting a Christian perspective on some tough issues, I could almost hear the groans. “Oh… she’s one of those.” It was all I could do to muster enough courage to plow on, but I did, because, you know what, I am proud to be one of “those.”
Hebrews 10:39 talks about that distinguished group of “those” people when it says, “But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.” Don’t you love that? This verse raises the question though, “Who are those who believe and are saved?” Well, the writer of Hebrews has some special people in mind. And his answer follows in Hebrews chapter 11, that great honor roll of those who did not shrink back; they were not destroyed by the persecutions and pressures of their day, but they persevered. And the list of “those” is quite something: Moses, Noah, Sarah, Abraham, Rahab, Gideon, David and Samuel, just to mention a couple.
And the neat thing is, you are one of “those” in that group. You’re linked with Moses and Enoch and Gideon! You know, we forget that we are linked with these saints of old. But even James 5:17 says of Elijah that he was a man just like us, it says. He’s just like me, just like you. And, yes, these men and women had problems, but they did not shrink back, they did not let sin and the pressures of society destroy them. Elijah, though he got very depressed to the point of wanting to just end it all; he didn’t give up, he kept going, he believed there would be brighter days, and there were! Moses, although he erupted in anger, he repented; and Noah, (look he had a problem with alcohol all right), yet he persevered out of it; Sarah mocked God, yet she survived and was saved; and look at Rahab with her loose morals, and Gideon with serious doubts, David with uncontrolled passions, and Samuel with the aches and pains of old age.
Ultimately, they did not collapse. They did not throw in the towel because they felt defeated by sin. No, they didn’t let their problems destroy them, but they believed and were saved. They were counted as righteous because they lived by faith. And you know what? So must you and I.
And that’s why I’m so encouraged by the very next chapter in Hebrews which begins, “Therefore (I love that), since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses (you know, all those folks we’ve been talking about thus far), let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles…” Ok, sure that sounds hard. But later on in that same chapter, later in Hebrews 12, the Lord reminds you and me to fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Friend, don’t give up. Don’t let your problems destroy your hope and rob you of God’s joy. Don’t shrink back. And until we meet again for another few minutes of Christian encouragement, resolve to be one of “those” who keep persevering – others hung in there and so can you.
Previously aired as Program #7252 on: 2-16-10
© Joni and Friends
