KEEP THE FAITH

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." 2 Timothy 4:7 (NIV ©1984)

Don’t you love this passage, written to Timothy by Paul? Paul said he fought the fight but he didn’t say that he won—he only said it was "good fight," fair and honest. He said that he finished the race—not first, not last, just finished as was his responsibility. The most amazing statement was that he "kept the faith." God believed in him and Paul believed in God and the task he gave him.

I have worked about eighteen-hours a day, nearly every day, for about two and a half months, to write my new and different book, Holding on to Sand - From the Interactive Journal of James Rapp. I hope to have it posted as an ebook at www.bn.com by the end of this week. This post, however is not about the book. It is about Paul’s message to Timothy.

Whatever job or mission God has laid on your heart, pick it up and put in an honest effort; complete the task regardless of the distractions around you; and keep the faith that GOD HAS IN YOU. You believe in Him and He believes in your faithfulness to see his good work through. He doesn’t ask you to win over others. He asks that you take up your blessed cause and complete it all, in faith. It is yours to do, not to plan the resulting outcome as well. The attitude of those around you is their blessed responsibility to God.

It has been my privilege to write about our son’s nearly two years in Afghanistan. I will do what I can to get the word out, but God will plan the outcome. Perhaps I have written a book that only one person, or one family, needs to hear. Then, I have been faithful to the cause God has given me. Perhaps there are millions who have wondered about the daily activities and threats in the life of a son, daughter, or friend stationed in the Mideast. God will draw the reader to the book in whatever numbers he calls. It is my mission to fight the good fight, finish the race and keep the faith.

You too are called to a cause. Perhaps it is one student from a class you have taught, perhaps some other contact. I remember a story about an Evangelist who held a week-long revival. There were few there each night, but one young man was always present. As the Evangelist shook the hand of the last few, the young man said, "My name is Billy Graham."

We may only touch one or two, but they may touch millions. The task it isn’t about us. It’s all about God’s plan for his children. We are to keep the faith. Let us pray:

"Father of us all, we lift our hands to you, for only you are worthy of our praise. Holy, holy, holy is your name. We pray that we may see the mission you have given us and the energy and courage to see it through, displaying the faith we have in you and your keeping the faith you have placed in us. We are so sorry when we have been afraid to follow through on the work you have given us, for fear that others would mock or ridicule. We acknowledge that we were not called by them, but by you, Father. We give our will over to you that we may do a good work, that we may complete a good cause and that we may be faithful to you and your son ,Jesus in whose name we pray. Amen"

Doris
"God gives us stories that testify to His love. Let me tell you mine."
Copyright 2012 Doris Gaines Rapp

www.holdingontosandjournalofjamesrapp.blogspot.com