Life is hard. It batters and bruises, and tries to destroy at every turn. Most weeks end with us feeling as if we are hanging on by a thread, as we stare down the gloomy abyss of a new day, another Monday, another start to a long week. Some weeks leave us scrounging for joy as trial after trial hits. And if this were the only aspect of life, we would have every reason to be depressed and despondent.
But it is not. For we have a far greater cause than just surviving or scraping through another week. We have a far greater call than living for the weekend as we dread every new day. We have been called to life, to freedom, to eternity.
Most importantly, we have been called to live for Christ. To live for the King of the universe, as we point others to His glory, might, power, and majesty. We are called to live a life that shouts, this is what my God has done! We are called to cling to Christ, even through the darkest moments of the deepest trials.
We are called to freedom, to run the race and run it well. We are called to abandon any false hope the world offers, and cling with all our might to Christ. We are called to bear witness to Jesus, our firm Foundation. For Christ and Christ alone we live, serve, run.
Since we have such a great calling, let us live with true joy, since we have received fullness of joy in Christ. Do not let your heart grow cold, nor your soul whither away in despondency. May we not be labelled as gloomy, glum or empathetic. May we not be seen as self-centered, cold, and uncaring. May the world never see us as hopeless, joyless people.
Rather, let us shock the world as we live with an unshakeable joy and peace. May our every failure point to the perfection of Christ. May our voices join in with the thousands of voices of the saints that have gone before us, proclaiming the beauty of Jesus Christ. May we, like Job, praise God in the ash pile. May we, like Moses, live with glowing faces, having witnessed the full goodness of God pass before us. May we enter into glory with tear stained faces yet hope filled hearts that have been set on the absolute joy of truly knowing Christ.
Christian, this is your call. This is your cause- to be known and make Him known. Therefore, let us live with passion and determination to persevere as we run this race well. Let our goal be to see the face of Christ, for that is our end. Our cause and goal is great. Therefore, let us live like it.
“These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”
John 15
To The Heart 