Ministry is not a quick Dash

Read I Corinthians 15:50-58

1 Corinthians 15:58
Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

“A recent television documentary pointed out that the cheetah survives on the African plains by running down its prey. The big cat can sprint seventy miles per hour. But the cheetah cannot sustain that pace for long. Within its long, sleek body is a disproportionately small heart, which causes the cheetah to tire quickly. Unless the cheetah catches its prey in the first flurry, it must abandon the chase.

Sometimes Christians seem to have the cheetah's approach to ministry. We speed into projects with great energy. But lacking the heart for sustained effort, we fizzle before we finish. We vow to start faster and run harder, when what we need may be not more speed but more staying power--stamina that comes only from a bigger heart. Motion and busyness, no matter how great, yield nothing unless we allow God to give us the heart.” (quoted from Grant Lovejoy)

One of the glorious spiritual truths is that we are on the winning side. Jesus has conquered our last enemy, death. Satan is a defeated foe and our victory is secured. This truth gives us the confidence and faith to build stamina and persevere in our service for Him. How do we ensure that we don’t start well and end badly? We must be determined to adopt three attitudes in ministry and life.

First, we will approach our life and service firmly. We will not be discouraged, side-tracked or intimidated. We will not back down from a challenge or back away from a situation.

Second, we will approach our life and service wholeheartedly. We will give ourselves completely, without reservation to inspire, encourage and serve God. We will hold nothing back.

Third, we will approach our life and service confidently. We lay hold of God’s promise and His completed work – our minds are fixed on the eternal. We are convinced that His values count and His methods are right. We cling on to what He says and let Him set our pace.