Strength for Today

Remember playing the childhood game "Mother, may I?" Well, some of us play the game of "Father, must I?" This morning I was humming the tune to an old hymn by Isaac Watts during my pre-sunrise walk around the neighborhood. The words from the second stanza came to mind: "Must I be carried to the skies on flowery beds of ease, while others fought to win the prize and sailed through bloody seas?" Now let's think about that, shall we?

Must I? Sometimes this is a good question but I think most of the time, at least in the spiritual realm, it betrays a hesitant heart at best and a rebellious spirit at worst. Must I go to church? Must I read my Bible? Must I share my good with others? Not good!
Must I be carried? Do we carry our own weight or must we weigh down others with our load, our burdens, our failure to do our own job?
Must I be carried to the skies? Do you really want to go to heaven? I have heard some say they really do not want to go but prefer to stay here (and not for the best of reasons). Some now want a heaven on earth. The beggar Lazarus was "carried by the angels" into Abraham's bosom, a picture of Paradise, and that is where every faithful believer will be carried some day.
On flowery beds of ease? The Christian life is not a rose garden. Yes, there are many beauties of the Christian life but it is not an easy life. But nor is it an impossible life. We are Christian soldiers fighting an enemy who is determined to keep us out of heaven.
While others fought to win the prize and sailed through bloody seas? Here we see the martyrs ~ those like Stephen, the first Christian martyr, stoned to a bloody pulp for his witness for Christ. Numberless Christians have paid the ultimate price for living the Christian life. Where do we get off thinking we will make it to heaven carried by others on a flowery bed of ease?

So Watts concludes: "Sure I must fight, if I would reign; increase my courage, Lord; I'll bear the toil, endure the pain, supported by Thy Word." Here is our challenge for today: fight the good fight; ask God for courage to endure; find strength for today in the Word of God!

Remember playing the childhood game "Mother, may I?" Well, some of us play the game of "Father, must I?" This morning I was humming the tune to an old hymn by Isaac Watts during my pre-sunrise walk around the neighborhood. The words from the second stanza came to mind: "Must I be carried to the skies on flowery beds of ease, while others fought to win the prize and sailed through bloody seas?" Now let's think about that, shall we?

Must I? Sometimes this is a good question but I think most of the time, at least in the spiritual realm, it betrays a hesitant heart at best and a rebellious spirit at worst. Must I go to church? Must I read my Bible? Must I share my good with others? Not good!
Must I be carried? Do we carry our own weight or must we weigh down others with our load, our burdens, our failure to do our own job?
Must I be carried to the skies? Do you really want to go to heaven? I have heard some say they really do not want to go but prefer to stay here (and not for the best of reasons). Some now want a heaven on earth. The beggar Lazarus was "carried by the angels" into Abraham's bosom, a picture of Paradise, and that is where every faithful believer will be carried some day.
On flowery beds of ease? The Christian life is not a rose garden. Yes, there are many beauties of the Christian life but it is not an easy life. But nor is it an impossible life. We are Christian soldiers fighting an enemy who is determined to keep us out of heaven.
While others fought to win the prize and sailed through bloody seas? Here we see the martyrs ~ those like Stephen, the first Christian martyr, stoned to a bloody pulp for his witness for Christ. Numberless Christians have paid the ultimate price for living the Christian life. Where do we get off thinking we will make it to heaven carried by others on a flowery bed of ease?

So Watts concludes: "Sure I must fight, if I would reign; increase my courage, Lord; I'll bear the toil, endure the pain, supported by Thy Word." Here is our challenge for today: fight the good fight; ask God for courage to endure; find strength for today in the Word of God!