Endurance
Scripture Reading — 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
We continually remember ... your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 1:3
When they think about life, lots of people say they love the journey but aren't much interested in the destination. Anna Quindlen, in her book A Short Guide to a Happy Life, writes, "Life is good. I don't mean in any cosmic way. I never think of my life, or my world, in any big cosmic way. I think of it in all its small component parts: the snowdrops, the daffodils, the feeling of one of my kids sitting close beside me on the couch ... Life is made up of moments." It's good advice to enjoy the present. But this is only a half-truth. If you're on a plane, your ability to enjoy the journey is greatly aided by your belief that there will be a smooth landing. But if the pilot tells you the plane's landing gear is malfunctioning, you'll care more about landing safely than whether they're serving beef or salmon for dinner. The Bible values both the journey and the destination. But because the journey is often arduous, the Bible constantly urges us to remember the hope we have in Christ. And this is no itsy-bitsy hope; it's the grand hope of a new heaven and a new earth--that in the end all will be well. "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul" (Hebrews 6:19). Indeed, it is this hope that frees us to relish our dinner today.
Lord, we don't want to be ignorant of the present or tyrannized by it, as if nothing else mattered. Fill us with hope today in your promise of a greater tomorrow. In Jesus' name, Amen.
About the author — Jack Roeda
Rev. Jack Roeda is the senior pastor at Church of the Servant Christian Reformed Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan, and an adjunct professor of preaching at Calvin Theological Seminary. He is married to Carol Sue Kok, and they have three children and two grandchildren. Pastor Roeda has served two previous churches: Exeter (Ont.) Christian Reformed Church and Calvary Christian Reformed Church, Holland, Michigan.
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