“It matters not if you try and fail and try and fail again.
It matters much if you try and fail and fail to try again.”
You remember that the Duke of Wellington was talking of the Battle of Waterloo when he said that it was not that the British soldiers were braver than the French soldiers. It was just that they were brave five minutes longer. And in our struggles sometimes that’s all it takes—to be brave five minutes longer, to try just a little harder, to not give up on ourselves when everything seems to beg for our defeat.
But the record of Christ’s life on earth certainly shows that he was not above caring for the human-size needs or fears of his earthly companions. Do you remember when Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha, died? Both sisters rushed to meet Christ to tell him of their sorrow and find comfort. And as they met him, they said in turn, “Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died” (John 11:21, 32). Now, who would know better than Jesus Christ that there was to be a resurrection so that Lazarus would live again? He didn’t just say to them, “Chin up, ladies. It’s only a few years before you see your brother again.” Instead the scriptures tell us, “Jesus wept” (John 11:35), wept in pure compassion for the pain and lack of understanding of his two friends. Then he hurried to the tomb and raised Lazarus from the dead.
Well, our frustrations and disappointments may be just pinpricks in the eternal scheme of things, but since they do not seem that way to us, they do not seem that way to the Lord. Quit thinking that tomorrow your problems will go away and life will begin in earnest. The Lord is waiting to help you cope today if you will lay your human-size needs at his divine feet. Pray in specifics about the problems, little or big, that impede your progress and dull your best dreams. Knock, seek, and you shall find the answer to your prayers. That I promise you because you really are his child. He will give you the comfort and the counsel that you need, the courage to lift up your head and face your todays with faith and hope.
But the record of Christ’s life on earth certainly shows that he was not above caring for the human-size needs or fears of his earthly companions. Do you remember when Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha, died? Both sisters rushed to meet Christ to tell him of their sorrow and find comfort. And as they met him, they said in turn, “Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died” (John 11:21, 32). Now, who would know better than Jesus Christ that there was to be a resurrection so that Lazarus would live again? He didn’t just say to them, “Chin up, ladies. It’s only a few years before you see your brother again.” Instead the scriptures tell us, “Jesus wept” (John 11:35), wept in pure compassion for the pain and lack of understanding of his two friends. Then he hurried to the tomb and raised Lazarus from the dead.
Well, our frustrations and disappointments may be just pinpricks in the eternal scheme of things, but since they do not seem that way to us, they do not seem that way to the Lord. Quit thinking that tomorrow your problems will go away and life will begin in earnest. The Lord is waiting to help you cope today if you will lay your human-size needs at his divine feet. Pray in specifics about the problems, little or big, that impede your progress and dull your best dreams. Knock, seek, and you shall find the answer to your prayers. That I promise you because you really are his child. He will give you the comfort and the counsel that you need, the courage to lift up your head and face your todays with faith and hope.
This to me was a powerful post. I really loved your thoughts and it was just very inspiring.
ReplyDeleteI am so grateful to know that I have our Savior near to lift me up when moments are difficult. I like to think He takes a daily walk with me.
Blessings!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful. I so needed to read this today.