“Having nothing to struggle against means having nothing to struggle for.”

“The world turns and the world changes, But one thing does not change. In all of my years, one thing does not change, However you disguise it, this thing does not change: The perpetual struggle of Good and Evil.” ― T.S. Eliot (1888 – 1965 American essayist and playwright)

Scripture Text: (HEB 12:1-4)

Brothers and sisters:

Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,

let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us

and persevere in running the race that lies before us

while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus,

the leader and perfecter of faith.

For the sake of the joy that lay before him

Jesus endured the cross, despising its shame,

and has taken his seat at the right of the throne of God.

Consider how he endured such opposition from sinners,

in order that you may not grow weary and lose heart.

In your struggle against sin

you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood.

God often tells his servants to arise. He told Elijah, “Arise, go to Zarephath… I have commanded a widow there to feed you” (1 Kings 17:9). He told a dead man, the only son of a widow, “Young man, I tell you, arise!” (Luke 7:14). A blind man outside Jericho heard, “Take courage; get up, he is calling you” (Mark 10:49). An angel told the deacon Philip, “Get up and head south” (Acts 8:26).

Arise! Get up! I have a plan for you!

We may not know exactly what will happen next, but we can be sure that God has everything in hand.