Challenged To Be Faithful

"Today's Devotion" For June 23, 2006

Read: Revelation 2:8-11; Matthew 10:17-23, 32, 33

CHALLENGED TO BE FAITHFUL

"Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life." (Revelation 2:10)

I don't think anyone would raise an argument if I proffered the observation that life isn't easy. What do you think? No doubt most of us would respond with a resounding, "Say it again, Preacher!" Okay! Life isn't easy. In fact, sometimes life throws us so many curves that we keep going down swinging (to borrow some baseball terminology) and can't even seem to get to first base with anything. And, while such challenges face people every day in the physical world, the challenges of the spiritual are even more intense.

It's not easy to be a follower of Jesus Christ in today's world. Not that it was ever easy, but it seems that there are more and more frequent attacks on the religious expressions, especially when they are expressions that focus on Jesus. A good example of what I'm talking about occurred recently in Henderson, Nevada when the valedictorian of Foothill High School had her valedictory speech censored by the school administration of the religious content - some Biblical references and one mention of the name, "Christ." Not only did the school officials do a cut job on her speech but then they sent it to the local ACLU chapter to make sure it was truly a "politically correct" speech.

The young lady, Brittany McComb, was told that if she mentioned anything religious from her speech, if she brought any of the censored material back in, she would have her microphone cut off. Just before she uttered the name, Christ, her microphone went dead. She had been silenced by school officials and the ACLU. Brittany's response was the following: "I went through four years of school at Foothill and they taught me logic and they taught me freedom of speech. God's the biggest part of my life. Just like other valedictorians thank their parents, I wanted to thank my Lord and Savior."

That was the kind of situation, only much more deadly, for the Christians in the Church at Smyrna in Asia Minor to whom John is writing in Revelation 2:8-11. Jesus Himself warns the twelve apostles of that same danger when He sent them out into the cities, towns, and countryside of Israel to share the good news of the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus' words to both the apostles and to the Church at Smyrna are clear - suffering and persecution are and will be part and parcel of being a living, breathing witness for Christ in the world. We can expect to be held to a different standard than others are. We can expect that the freedoms we cherish may be withheld from us because we serve the Lord. We can be certain that the devil, the world, and our own sinful flesh will do their level best to turn us away from Jesus and our Heavenly Father's love, and, failing that, make our lives as miserable as possible, filled with all the inequity and unfairness they can muster.

In the midst of all the turmoil we face because we belong to Christ, our Lord Jesus encourages us to remain faithful, just as He is faithful to us. We are reminded that our Father in heaven holds us in the palm of His hand. We are reminded that of our Lord's promise that He is always with us and will never leave us or forsake us. No matter the challenges we may face, no matter the temptations that may challenge our obedience, and no matter the hardships and dangers that come to us because we serve the Lord, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ wants us to know that He is faithful to us. He sees what we endure as His dearly beloved, redeemed, and forgiven children. He knows how hard it is to remain faithful.

To be sure, we are certainly challenged by the world to remain faithful to Jesus, but we are also challenged by Jesus Himself to remain faithful. But His challenge to us to remain faithful isn't given without His support, for it is coupled with the gift of His Word and Spirit to keep us in faith. That same challenge to be faithful is also coupled with His assurance that, as Paul writes, "all things work together for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28). As the Christians at Smyrna suffered hardship and persecution for their faithfulness to Jesus, and as that Foothill High School valedictorian, Brittany McComb, of Henderson, Nevada was silenced in her thanksgiving to God, so also can we expect and should we expect to be challenged to be faithful. We will meet each challenge with the assurance of Jesus' promise, "Be faithful unto death and I will give you the crown of life" (Revelation 2:10).

Prayer: Father, it's not an easy thing to be faithful to You in this world. Not only do I face numerous temptations to be disobedient to Your Word and Will, but I find myself often put on the spot by society to be "politically correct" and not be a visible and verbal witness for Christ. Forgive me, Father, for the many times I'm silent when I should speak, run and hide when I should stand and meet the challenge, and live in fear of those who have no power over me because I belong to You. Father, I pray that You would send Your Spirit upon me in abundant measure to strengthen my faith through Your Word, remind me each day of the power of my Baptism into Christ Jesus, and keep me ever assured that my sins are forgiven and my sure and certain hope is eternal life with You in heaven because of Jesus. Father, lift me up each day in Your almighty hand that I may be a faithful witness of Your love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness in Jesus to all whom I meet and in every situation in which I find myself. Keep fear of what others might think or do to me because I believe from making me powerless to serve You. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
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--Pastor Boeck

Copyright @2006 Rev. Richard J. Boeck, Jr. All rights reserved.