Stay True!

Now from Miletus, he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church. And when they came to him, he said to them: 'You know, from the first day I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole time-serving the Lord with all humility, with tears, and with trials..........and I did not shrink back from proclaiming to you anything that was profitable.....'Acts 20:17-20

Paul had given his all for the sake of the gospel and now knew he was going to Jerusalem to be bound in chains but he was happy, he had done his job.

There is a saying 'it is not how you starts that counts but how you end.' all of us have a rocky time, mostly at the beginning, some lose their way in the middle through discouragement but the saddest of all is those who end their days away from the Lord.

It is not the 4 score and 10 we have here that this life is all about. We are in training for eternity. If we get caught up in the pleasures of now and continue to live for now then we lose our eternal hope.

As a mother and grandmother I brood over the young, teach them the way to live and when they reach adulthood sit and wonder. As we see our young adults live their lives and do things beyond us we can pray and continue to pray to the end.

It is not over until the Lord stands up and says 'finish'. I must pray and continue in prayer for those the Lord has given me, not sit and judge.

As I age I cannot become slack in any area of my life. Body, soul and spirit, I want to see my Lord and hear 'well done'.

Paul would have heard well done, the saints of old would have given him a standing ovation when he finally arrived. This is what I want, to hear the cheer of the crowd and see my Lord.

Don't give up! Don't compromise! Stay true to the end! Amen!