My Inbox of Daily Inspirations: Daily Heartlight -- December 1, 2007

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December 1, 2007

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=========================== TODAY'S ARTICLE ==========================

They're Expecting You, by Rubel Shelly

You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God,
you will receive what he has promised (Hebrews 10:36 TNIV)

It was a Sunday morning. A bright and perky mom went in to wake her son
and tell him it was time to get up, eat a bite of breakfast, and get
dressed for church. "I'm not going!" he announced. There was a sullen
tone in his voice. "Hold on, young man!" she replied. "You know the
Sunday routine in this house. Why don't you want to go to church
today?" "I'll give you two perfectly good reasons," he said. "First,
nobody likes me down at that church. And, second, I don't like them
either."

Rather than get exasperated with her boy, the wise mother sat down on
the side of his bed. Rubbing his back very gently, she spoke in her
most tender and comforting voice. "Now, sweetheart, you know you
shouldn't feel that way," she began. "But let me give you two good
reasons why you just must get out of bed and go with us. First, you're
47 years old. And, second, you are the pastor."

Okay. It's an old story you've heard before. But it is marvelously
adaptable. It can be Monday morning, the people in that office, and
their boss. Or Wednesday morning, the nurses at the clinic, and the
doctor. It even works for Friday morning, traffic court, and the judge.
The reason it is such a flexible story that fits practically every work
situation is that we all have those days or seasons.

When things are going well and everybody's happy with you, there is no
problem getting up, going to work, and doing your job. But things don't
always go well. And people aren't always happy with you. What then?

Others are depending on us

Have you noticed how many things are cyclical? A few good months of
sales may be followed by a lean time for the company. Or maybe it's the
mortgage business when interest rates are at historic lows; then the
Federal Reserve starts inching rates up again. It even happens in
family life. There are seasons of health and joy and laughter that seem
to vanish overnight in the wake of a heart attack or auto accident or
angry exchange. Does that mean the good times are gone forever? That it
is right just to throw in the towel?

The Bible speaks of a virtue called perseverance. This noble trait is
also known as holding on, staying steady at the task, and persistence.
It deserves more credit than it gets. And it needs to be cultivated in
everyone's character.

Somebody occasionally needs to remind us that tasks need doing because
they are ours. We've made commitments with consequences. Others are
depending on us. Once we carry through, the outcome can be trusted to
the faithfulness and mercy of God.

So what's on your agenda for today?

---------
(c) 2007 Used by permission. From Rubel Shelly's "FAX of Life"
printed each Tuesday. See Faith Matters for previous issues of
the "FAX of Life."

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Daily Heartlight -- December 1, 2007