Doreen and Dinah go back decades. With their husbands, they both took pregnant young women into their homes. Their marriage was an inspiration to so many. Not in a perfect, sappy way. But it revealed two people completely committed to each other and with each other to serve “the least of these.” Doreen wrote this blog six months before her husband, Tom died.
Faithful for a Lifetime
By Doreen Strohm
Unanswered prayer, beloved? Can you wait for a lifetime? Besetting sin that you struggle to overcome? Will you receive God’s grace for a lifetime?
Tragedy? Trauma? A broken heart? Despairing events? Failure?
What would it take to eclipse your faith?
To spurn the Pearl of Great Price?
What is worth the exchange – to trade faithfulness for a lifetime?
The enemy is seeking whom he may devour. (I Peter 5:8) The LORD wants us to be faithful for a lifetime. The words of the old hymn ring often in my ears:
“I have decided to follow Jesus. No turning back. No turning back.”
What is the deal breaker that would cause us to walk away from Him, the One who is supposed to be our “ONE THING?” For what would we be willing to say, “This is no longer worth it?” It is in that place that our idols are erected and must be aggressively and viciously torn down. It is in that place where our heart is exposed and the things that are taking place of our “ONE THING” rear their ugly heads. We clutch desperately to our plans, our assessments, our judgments – about God and others – all at the expense of faithful for a lifetime.
There is a promise that most would prefer to pass up:
“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
What were “these things” referring to? They would be scattered; they would no longer see Him; they would be outcasts and killed; they would have anguish and grief for a season; yet they would rejoice and share in unspeakable opportunities for His kingdom.
There is another promise that holds true:
“Even in darkness, light dawns for the upright.” Psalm 112:4
Darkness and tribulation are promised but the dawn comes and has a final say-so on the darkness. Light extinguishes the darkness, not the other way around. That’s just the way it is. Evening comes and then there is morning. Each day. Every day. And one day there will be only sunlight and no more darkness because the darkness will never overpower the light. That’s the way it will be. Each day. Every day. For all eternity.
For now, while there is still darkness…
Can you be faithful for a lifetime?
