Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Perseverance”
Our Bible verse for today: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NIV)
Our thought for today: “Don’t give-up on wayward loved ones.”
Shortly after Linda and I joined our first church, we were in a Sunday night service when the Pastor was preaching about committed Christian marriages. At the end of the sermon he invited all the couples who would like to rededicate their marriages to come forward. Linda and I went forward, as did many other couples. It was a touching and powerful conclusion to a very good sermon.
As we were headed back to our seats I saw a middle-aged woman sitting alone in a pew quietly crying. At the time I didn’t understand what she was upset about. Later, as I got to know her, I discovered that her husband had drifted away from the church and for many years, had been cold and hard and completely uninterested in anything to do with the Christian life. But this woman never stopped praying that the Lord would get hold of his heart and bring him back into right relationship with Him, with her, and with the church. At that point she had been praying that prayer for years, but with no discernable effect.
However probably within six months of that night the man suddenly did have a change of heart and decided to begin attending church again. Slowly he was drawn back into right relationship with the Lord and with his wife. Not long after that, he became active in ministry again. After a few years he started moving into positions of leadership within the church. That was over twenty-five years ago and as far as I know, that man has walked closely with the Lord ever since.
We’re all familiar with stories like that, probably more than we can count. The lesson we learn from those examples is that we must never give-up on our wayward loved ones. As long as a person is still breathing there’s still a chance the Holy Spirit can break through to them.
Whether it’s a spouse, an adult child, a teenager, a brother, sister, parent, or friend, don’t stop praying for them and also, don’t shut them out of your life because of inappropriate behavior.
When inappropriate behavior is involved, it’s important to make clear to the individual that we don’t endorse or approve of their choices; and it may be necessary to erect boundaries and put in place safeguards to protect ourselves from the impact of the other person’s bad behaviors; but it is also important to maintain lines of communication as well. As long as you have an ongoing relationship of some kind with that person, the Lord can still use you to influence them.
We all have people in our lives who we’re worried about because they’re not in right relationship with the Lord. Don’t give-up on them! It may take many years for the Lord to reach them but as long as you keep praying, and you take advantage of your opportunities to gently, lovingly, and subtly guide them in the right direction, then there is still hope.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 