Persevere in the Strength of the Lord, Dear One

While sitting beneath the old shade tree, I considered the task at hand, the trials all about me, and the need to persevere in the strength of the Lord. I closed my eyes and entered into the world of daydream.

I Searched for the Perfect Gift to Bring My Father

I imagined myself as a small child wandering along a mountain trail listening to the melody of the birds. Trees swayed to the rhythm of the wind and drank from the stream that ribboned its way through the natural paradise.

All along the creek bank wildflowers grew – daisies, blue chicory, larkspur. As I journeyed along the path, I searched for the perfect gift to bring my Father. He loved the beauty of creation, the splendor of nature. I soon realized these flowers were the perfect gift.

Tiny hands gathered a delicate bouquet.

Excitement grew in my heart because I loved to bring special gifts to my Father. But as I started to make my way home, the path grew steep. There were stones in the way. Tree roots crisscrossed the trail and thorny briars crept in on both sides.

The perfect path had become difficult, wrought with danger, and full of obstacles. It became hard to hang on to the special gift I was bringing my Father. Very difficult. But I was determined to make it to the top of the mountain where He lived. 

So, I pressed on.

Finally, I crested a hill where I could see the path clearly again, but the beauty of my gift was now spoiled. Some of the flowers were broken. Daisy petals scattered with the wind. Ruined! The gift to my Father was ruined.

“Child, Why Are You So Distraught?”

My shoulders sagged with disappointment and my excited steps slowed as I dragged my feet with sudden fatigue.

Father saw me climbing up the steep mountain trail. He could see my frustration, my tears. He ran to me with open arms.

“Child, why are you so distraught?” Father said as I crumpled into His embrace.

“I brought you a special gift to show You how much I love You and now it’s ruined.”

“No, no,” said my Father. “It’s not ruined. Your tears have caused it to glisten in the sunshine. The broken stems and blossoms reflect your effort to please Me, to persevere regardless of the obstacles you encounter. You may think your gift is tarnished, but I see it as a love offering — an expression of your heart — regardless of how hard your journey has become. “

I looked into His eyes while wiping the tears from my own.

“Thank you for your gift,” He said. “Thank you for your love and your desire to please Me. The road has been long and steep but look around you. Look how far you have come. Please don’t look at the broken bouquet. Look at the view. See what I see. See how far you’ve climbed to be with Me. That is the perfect gift.”

Sweet friend, sometimes the road becomes almost unbearable. We see only our skinned knees and broken bouquets, but the Father looks at the heart. He is honored by our perseverance. He cheers us on as we get up, dust ourselves off, and continue on our journey.

And He delights in our gifts. Though tattered and torn, He sees the heart that is fixed on Him and He responds.

Persevere in the Strength of the Lord

“Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how He did it. Because He never lost sight of where He was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—He could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now He’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility He plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!” ~ Hebrews 12:1-2, MSG

Persevere, dear ones. Persevere in the strength of the Lord. Love, laugh, and rejoice in Him. 

Selah

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Thank you so much for stopping by. I would love for you to share what’s on your heart in the comments below. Scroll a little farther down and you’ll see where you can leave your comments. Together, we can find the nearness of God in our darkest moments.

Sweet blessings to you,