“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true.” (2 Timothy 3:16a NLT)
Yesterday, in response to my suggestion for a tee-shirt with the slogan that stated, “At Your Worst? Don’t Give up, Get Up! – a reader emailed me back and asked for more clarification. It’s Sunday morning, but I don’t mind responding to the request. I’ll back up the slogan with some select examples from the Bible. Hopefully that will meet the reader’s need and help expand all our thinking about the slogan too. Here we go! Note I am not listing my “clarification” evidence in a chronological order. I’m just writing what the Lord puts on my mind this morning, enough that will support the slogan, but at the same time will not delay your departure for morning worship.
The woman with the issue of blood tried everything else to no avail. But she did not give up and reached out an touched the hem of Jesus’ garment and was healed. Samson was down, fallen from his status as his people’s hero, blinded, but he looked up to heaven and asked that the Lord give him one more chance to defeat the enemy. God obliged and Samson’s strength was renewed. He did not give up, but he got up and pushed the columns and destroyed the place where all the Philistines had gathered to mock him. The woman caught in adultery was down, but Jesus told her in so many words, “Get up, go, and sin not more.” Am I clarifying enough? No? Well how about a couple of more examples!
The disciples were in trouble on the stormy sea, but they called on Jesus, not giving up. Jesus told spoke to the wind and the waves, and the wailing rain and said, “Peace, be still!” The disciples did not give up, did they? How about the three Hebrew boys thrown in the fiery furnace? They did not give up even with the furnace heated seven times its usual temperature. They put got up in the face of their captors and proclaimed, regardless of the outcome, God who is able! Gideon was going to have to face an enemy with a force that was numbered like the sands on the seashore, but even after the Lord directed Gideon to reduce his army from 3,200 to 300, he did not give up. He got up with his small number and, with the help of God, he led a resounding victory. Do you need more? As Moses was leading the people of Israel, they were trapped on the beach by the Red Sea, rocks on both side and Pharaoh’s army in the rear. But Moses did not give up! He got up and was used by God to open the Red Sea and the children of Israel crossed over on dry land. The thief on the right side of the cross, did not give up, about ready to die for his crimes, but he looked toward Jesus and consequently was promised a place with Him in Paradise. Oh there are more examples to add to the clarification, but I have to preach this morning and lead people to the cross. Wait! I hear something! The Lord is saying, lead you to the cross now with the ultimate clarification example. I have to be obedient. Look at Jesus in the passage below. Consider all He went through on His way to the cross in obedience to the Father and to save a wretch like you and me. Somebody say, “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound.” Read the closing verses from Isaiah for my final piece of “clarification.” Afterwards, thank God! Praise Him! Be blessed!
“He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was punished. He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand. After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” (Isaiah 53:7-12 NIV)