2 Chronicles 15:7 — But as for you, be strong and courageous, for your work will be rewarded.
Azariah prophesied to King Asa to encourage him to continue to seek the Lord. Asa had begun a work of removing the shrines, altars, and pillars used for worshiping foreign gods. Azariah exhorted Asa to be strong and courageous in this work of national sanctification, and told Asa that the Lord would reward Asa’s work.
The work of justification requires only simple faith on the part of the believer; God performs that work of salvation, and it all happens faster than the blink of an eye. But the work of sanctification is a lifelong process for the believer, and it can be discouraging at times.
Objectively, in the eyes of God, the believer is just as holy and righteous as Jesus Christ Himself. Subjectively, although the believer is saved by grace, he or she is still a sinner who fails in daily life, again and again. Blessedly, the same wonderful grace that saves us is available to sanctify us.
It is frustrating to stumble and fall. But we should never give up on following Jesus, for He will never give up on us. Do not condemn and disqualify yourself from running the race of faith. Be strong and courageous! Sanctification is not a sprint but a marathon. Keep yourself in the love of God who is able to keep you stumbling (Jude 1:21, 24). And if you do stumble, keep getting back up!
12/18/2024 Devotional
"It is frustrating to stumble and fall. But we should never give up on following Jesus, for He will never give up on us."
하박국 2:2-3 KLB
[2] 여호와께서 이렇게 대답하셨다. “너는 내가 너에게 말해 주는 것을 판에 선명하게 기록하여 달려가면서도 읽어 볼 수 있게 하라. [3] 이것이 지금 당장 이루어질 것은 아니지만 이루어질 때가 정해져 있으니 그 때가 분명히 올 것이며 반드시 이루어질 것이다. 비록 더딜지라도 기다려라. 지체되지 않고 그 때가 올 것이다.
Habakkuk 2:2-3 NLT
[2] Then the Lord said to me, “Write my answer plainly on tablets so that a runner can carry the correct message to others. [3] This vision is for a future time. It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled.…