Ah, Saturday! We could endure the weekend quite a bit longer if only it weren't just two days. The command in the Word to endure to the end generally isn't our favorite among the commands our Lord gave to us. Love, peace, abundant life, rejoice, these sound much better. Endurance speaks of pain, stress, sacrifice, and other things we don't enjoy quite so much in the moment. Paul wrote to Timothy: "You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ." (2 Tim 2:3) That, just doesn't sound like lots of fun and giggles are headed our way!
I don't know how Timothy took that command, but this "you" would rather hear that I must endure years of joyous living with abundant wealth and good company. The flesh wants it easy. A good soldier, or Marine in my case, endures much during a term of service. We don't always enjoy it in the moment, but at the end we do have a pride of accomplishment. Remembering our gratitude to God for seeing us through makes it all the better. The reason to endure hardship is the building of our faith; the help we need to endure we find in Christ Jesus. Being a good soldier of Jesus Christ mostly comes in the 'of Jesus Christ' part. We add effort and longsuffering for the love of our Lord; He gives us the strength to endure from His great storehouse of love, strength, patience, kindness, self-control, goodness, and all the other fruits of the Spirit in His massive store. The love of Jesus gives us what we need to be good soldiers of Christ.
Have a productive Saturday in the love of Jesus!
Bucky
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