Day 13: Don't Give Up!

VERSE: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,” Hebrews 12:1

DEVOTIONAL: Sometimes in our minds, we dream about how it will go when we invite our ONEs to church: they’ll see God working in our lives; they’ll ask us questions about God; we succinctly and skillfully answer their questions and encourage them to come to church; they attend church and feel welcomed and included; they make a decision to accept Jesus as their Lord and all of heaven celebrates (Luke 15:10). Sometimes it happens just like that… but many times it doesn’t.

We may have people that we have been praying for and inviting to church for decades, but still they don’t come. We may have friends, family, or neighbors who we know desperately need Jesus, but even our most loving exhortations feel like pouring water on a rock. Nothing seems to sink in. Nothing seems to elicit a faithful response. And in the face of that disappointment, we run the risk of giving up. But we must remember that no ONE is too far for God to reach. No ONE is beyond His grasp. We cannot give up because victory doesn’t come quickly or easily. The Bible calls us to persevere and to continue in faith, believing that God will reach our ONE.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, help us to remember that salvation comes from You and let us not grow weary in praying for our ONEs. We cannot give up. We cannot lose heart. We must spread the seeds and continue to pray for the harvest. Amen.