Persistence

Joel 2:1 – Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand. (KJV)

Activists so often move in a mass and carry placards, so that they can be seen and make their voices heard. They are persistent because they are fighting for something, and they won't give up until they get it.

In the story of Jesus' trial, the Pharisees whipped up the crowd to shout at Pilate, "Crucify Him, crucify Him!" — the wrong gathering, the wrong outcry, for a terrible purpose. But Pilate gave in to their persistence.

Christians can emulate this persistence in preaching the gospel.

There were times when Jesus healed people and told them keep it to themselves. But at the time when He healed the man possessed with a legion of demons, He told the man to go and publicize it instead of following Him. Why? Possibly because the people of that community had sent Jesus away due to their fear, and He needed someone who could stand in the gap for Him to preach the Word.

Today, Christ is not physically with us any more, so He is looking for those who can proclaim the Word today.

For that same reason, God sent Jonah to Nineveh to tell the people that there would be judgment if they did not repent. They turned their hearts to God, and the city was saved. Today, as believers sleep, sinners are dying every day. What can we do?

Sleeping Christians need to wake up! The time of silence is over! We have given sin too much space to grow. It's time for those in our neighbourhoods, offices, schools, and communities to know that they need to repent and turn to God, for the day of the Lord is coming.

Prayer: Father, give us the boldness, the strength, the persistence, and the grace to spread the good news of Your mercy far and wide. Amen.

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