KEEP ON KEEPING ON!
Greetings church family!
I’d like to share this interesting story from the book Pastoral Grit: the Strength to Stand and to Stay, by Craig Brian Larson.
In 1972, NASA launched the exploratory space probe Pioneer 10. According to Leon Jaroff in Time, the satellite's primary mission was to reach Jupiter, photograph the planet and its moons, and beam data to earth about Jupiter's magnetic field, radiation belts, and atmosphere. Scientists regarded this as a bold plan, for at that time no earth satellite had ever gone beyond Mars, and they feared the asteroid belt would destroy the satellite before it could reach its target.
But Pioneer 10 accomplished its mission and much, much more. Swinging past the giant planet in November 1973, Jupiter's immense gravity hurled Pioneer 10 at a higher rate of speed toward the edge of the solar system. At one billion miles from the sun, Pioneer 10 passed Saturn. At some two billion miles, it hurtled past Uranus; Neptune at nearly three billion miles; Pluto at almost four billion miles. By 1997, twenty-five years after its launch, Pioneer 10 was more than six billion miles from the sun.
And despite that immense distance, Pioneer 10 continued to beam back radio signals to scientists on Earth. 'Perhaps most remarkable,' writes Jaroff, 'those signals emanate from an 8-watt transmitter, which radiates about as much power as a bedroom night light, and takes more than nine hours to reach Earth.
The Little Satellite That Could was not qualified to do what it did. Engineers designed Pioneer 10 with a useful life of just three years. But it kept going and going. By simple longevity, its tiny 8-watt transmitter radio accomplished more than anyone thought possible.
So it is when we offer ourselves to serve the Lord. God can work even through someone with 8-watt abilities. God cannot work, however, through someone who quits.
Scripture is full of calls to the saints to endure and persevere. Here are a few.
Galatians 6:9 says, “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.”
Hebrews 10:36 says, “For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.”
Matthew 24:13 says, “But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”
And here’s the good news. What God asks of us, God also provides to us! Hallelujah!! Romans 5:15 says, “Now may the God who gives endurance and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, according to Christ Jesus.”
So, as with the Scripture given, I leave you with a poetic prayer to encourage you when you just feel like throwing in the towel.
PERSEVERANCE, by Bob Johnson
Please help me oh Lord,
I'm all out of fight,
Satan's beaten me down
Throughout the long night.
But somehow, still standing,
not certain of why,
It must be Your strength
That's getting me by.
For long has this battle
Worn me too thin,
Not sure I can take
One more on the chin.
But You promised to rescue,
I'm quite sure this is clear,
No doubt that's why
I'm still standing right here.
For Your strength is made perfect,
In my weakness that's right,
A truth from Your word
That guides me this night.
Now get up, dust off
And get back in the game,
You're a Christian, remember?
Never forget your name!
Also remember, God is for you, God is with you, and God loves you!
Pastor Chris
