The promise of reward – 19 November 2009

“For I, the Lord, love justice.  I hate robbery and wrongdoing.  I will faithfully reward my people for their suffering and make an everlasting covenant with them.  Their descendants will be recognised and honoured among the nations.  Everyone will realise that they are a people the Lord has blessed.”

Isaiah 61 v 8-9 [NLT]

When we do our best to walk God’s way, in his will not our own, he promises justice and a faithful reward, he promises to bless us - remember that double portion from yesterday!  This is a tough journey for a rebel like me, it’s the road less travelled, I am often tempted to go my own foolish way, planning my own journey, yet I know I would soon get hopelessly lost - yet again!  I have to allow God to discipline me, prune me and correct my wrongdoing, God challenges me to check my behaviour and my motives, am I doing things to please and impress others or God?  I am on a journey with an audience of one and if I'm out of step I must seek my ‘Good Orderly Direction’ (G.O.D).  It is not always a pleasant experience, it’s tough, but it is a fruitful one. 

Let us journey together HIS way and be known as a people the Lord has blessed and when we receive his blessing - pay it forward, pass it on.  If you feel his blessing is only for others you are wrong, his blessing is for YOU.  Hang in there! 

Earlier in the year I read a story that encouraged me to keep going, I did a little research and I want to share it with you..... Despite the tensions of a world still recovering from World War I, during the summer of 1926, the story that enthralled the public revolved around four young American swimmers - Gertrude Ederle, Mille Gade, Lillian Cannon, and Clarabelle Barrett who battled the weather, the cruel waters, each other, and considerable odds, each with the dream of becoming the first woman to conquer the brutal waters of the English Channel, most felt this was too dangerous and difficult for any woman to achieve.  On 6th August 1926 Gertrude Ederle went down in history as being the first ever woman to swim the Channel.  Five men had performed the feat previously; however Ederle's time of 14 hours and 31 minutes broke the record by nearly 2 hours! (Go girl! - sorry couldn’t help myself) the feat earned her lasting fame and her record stood for almost a quarter-century.  She nearly quit, after twelve hours she was exhausted, just swimming to survive. Her supporters, following in a boat, became worried about her safety and shouted “Trudy, you must come out!", yet she was not going to give up on her dream, "What for?" she yelled back, and kept on swimming.

The record books could have told a very different story, only three days prior to Gertrude’s swim, on 3rd August, Clarabelle Barrett set out from Dover on her journey.  With hopes of becoming the first woman to swim the channel she entered the water, however, after 22 hours in the cruel sea she became lost in fog and was officially declared missing for over an hour.  Deterred by tiredness and fog, with no end in sight she finally gave up her swim..... only to discover she was just 2 miles from France.

Hold on tight to your dreams, those visions and promises God has given to you, they are not out of His sight.  If you don’t have one, why not?  Go to God and get one, he has a plan and purpose for each one of us.  When I find it hard to believe, instead of focusing on my faith (or lack of it!) I must focus on HIS faithfulness.

Don’t give up on your blessing it is on the way, “For the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end and will not lie.  If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay”  Habakkuk 2: 3 [ESV]

Lord, lead me on, to your kingdom through your son.