The beginning of the Christian life is easy. The end is joyous. But the middle is where the fiercest battles take place, and many fall away.
The real test of faith comes in the middle of our journey. Jesus is the trailblazer, pathfinder, and pilgrim of God’s way. This is the meaning of Christ being the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.
Not only did Jesus blaze the trail, but He also finished the pilgrimage. And He gives His people the strength to tread where He trod and arrive where He awaits.
“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Heb. 12:1–3)
UPDATE: I revised an article I wrote last year entitled What Christians Can Learn from the Music World of the 1960s. I encourage you to read it.
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I’m always amazed how God leads you to exactly what you need at a particular moment in your life. By accident I found this blog and what a blessing to know my purpose that I have been given from my tragedy is all in Gods plan. I will keep my eye on him in my journey. Ironically it was posted on Nov 12. My birthday
Thank you so much for this encouraging reminder! I really needed this today.
I seem to remember that Keith and Melody Green, back in the ‘hippy era’, when they first became Christians, had this same dream. And they used to get together with many others in the music scene back then, and virtually have an open house where they lived in community – not just with musicians, but with many kids who needed support. However things gradually changed, and they became somewhat disillusioned by the competitive world of Christian music. Keith would happily give away free albums at his concerts, but his manager looked askance at that. Shortly before Keith died, he gave several concerts where he wept at the hardness of people’s hearts. It was as though he, too, had that dream, but what was happening in the music scene was in direct conflict with it. It’s all there in the book ‘No Compromise’, written by Melody Green after Keith’s death.
As usual, great thoughts, Frank. The article on the music world of the ’60’s really speaks to this. We ARE so caught up in the beginning and end, with an emphasis on winning, that we don’t know how to live TOGETHER in life, the middle. The atmosphere of the ’60’s music world eclipsed success by the life it produced, until fame and fortune made life too elusive. Then too many of these pioneers met the end too soon. We can, and should, learn a lot from this. Thank you!