A Call to Persevere

I told my wife yesterday that I am running my last marathon! Unlike the previous marathons I ran, which involved running 42Km in the race, this last marathon involves running a spiritual race all the way to my last breath. Like running a physical marathon, the last 10Km is usually the hardest. I will be extremely tired. My calves are in knots. The side stitches (muscle spasms of the diaphragm) are constantly calling me to quit! Spiritual marathon is similar. There are constant doubts - am I going to make it to the end? My struggle with sins becomes more rather than less. Oh "What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?" (Romans 7:24). The Letter from Jude which I read this morning is a "Call to Persevere"! Let me quote the last part (Jude 1:17-23):
"But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh."

Yes what is happening in our times is nothing new - pro-choice vs pro-life (isn't it funny that the church always teaches that God loves us enough to give us free-choice - so God is really pro-choice!); yes, these scoffers will always follow their own ungodly desires. They will attempt to divide the body of Christ, telling us we are bigots, homophobic, we are out of sync with our times etc. And what does Jude remind me to do? I am to keep myself in God's love as I run till my last breath! I am to focus on building up my holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit. But I am still in the world! So I am to be merciful to those who doubt and save a few souls from the eternal fire of hell. Stay pure even when I am exercising my ministry of mercy, else I may be tempted. Holy fear is always good!

"Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Romans 7:25)
Hey I am not running alone! And I am not running with my own strength either! I saw this girl in the 2006 New York Marathon. It's a good reminder running my last marathon! (The scripture reference is from Philippians 4:13; *26.2 - that is the number of miles in a marathon, or 42.2Km)

Jesus reminded us that "But he who endures to the end shall be saved." (Matthews 24:13)
See you at the finish line!