I knew this past week was going to be a tough one. First, I do not do the time changes very well. My strong internal clock rebels when we go from Standard Time to Saving Time or back again. It always leaves me feeling wiped out and takes me a good week to recover. I am also at mid-point in my temporary assignment with the State. Mid-point of anything is the most difficult—at least for me.
To top it all off, Sunday’s message is on Peter’s fourth virtue to add to our faith—perseverance. Peter puts that virtue at the mid-way point in his list of seven. And I knew going in to this week I would be flooded with situations and thoughts of just giving up! [You know what preachers say: Got to learn the lesson before you can teach the lesson.]
Focusing on perseverance for today’s message, I understood that I would be tempted with giving up – giving up everything! By mid-week I just wanted to sell everything, go off somewhere and get a small apartment. All I wanted was to read and write and crochet and forget everything else. But then I remember Jesus’ question to Peter, and his response.
Jesus had said some tough words to His followers and many had decided to walk away, to quit! So, He turned to the Twelve and asked: “You do not want to leave too, do you?”
Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” [John 6:67-69]
That’s pretty much perseverance—knowing that you have no where else to go. There is only one road to life and if we are on it, how can we quit?
