Victory!
But as for you, Israel my servant,
Jacob my chosen one,
descended from Abraham my friend,
I have called you back from the ends of the earth,
saying, ‘You are my servant.’
For I have chosen you
and will not throw you away.
Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
I will hold you up with my victorious right hand Isaiah 41:8-10
Yesterday was my birthday. I had dinner with my son to talk about life in general, and we had a blast! We discussed challenges we faced both past and present, and I shared with him some stories he had not heard from me about my early years being a young father and some of the challenges. The conversation moved to how tough it was raising him and his sister and shared with him failures such as when I had not paid the light bill and totaled my car. But these momentary failures were not signs of the impeding to follow or how life was too hard. Instead, they were moments when things turned around and I would learn how to tap into a gritty and determined side. In each setback, it was the precipice of a future success, and then, once the mountain was climbed, the joy and exhilaration of the victory over those challenges. I could see the hope grow in his eyes. It was great to tell him those stories as he had reached the age that many of those challenges had happened for me. I have enjoyed seeing his growth over the years and how he too had already overcome some significant hurdles and barriers. It was an encouragement for him and inspirational to me. I look forward to when we get together again after he will again claim victory over a daunting challenge.
This brought me to the idea of the hope we carry whenever we as Christians face challenges. When things are not going well, it is natural for us to begin questioning what the outcome will be. There is this level of uncertainty we feel and maybe doubt in our ability to deal with the obstacle. As followers of Christ, we have a hope that through Him we are forgiven of our sins and reconciled with the true living God. Furthermore, we are strengthened by the fact that through Him all things are indeed possible. Carrying this gives us a unique confidence that no matter the barrier or challenge, we can indeed overcome it. It is like the traditional hymnal that says, “Be not dismayed whate'er betide, God will take care of you.” In the end, we will come out victorious.
Having faith that God is in our corner gives us confidence in any situation. My church’s sermon this week focused on Ezekiel 37 and how God breathed life into what were once skeletons. The pastor surmised that if God could take dry bones and bring them to life, how could we feel nothing but hope even when things can seem bleak that He could do anything. There was a football game years ago where one of my favorite teams came back from three scores down to win a game against a rival. I remembered watching how things were so bleak when they were down and then how excited I became when they won. My thoughts moved to how the team must have had this undying belief that in the end they would somehow win against the odds. Liken to this, we go into trials and tribulations remembering God’s words in Isaiah. We are His children, and we won’t be either tossed aside or forgotten. He will provide all that is necessary for us to ultimately be victorious. That is how we can remain confident even as things may not look promising. All we need to do is be both courageous and encouraged that God will be with us every step of the way.
Victory is always ours to claim. When in doubt, it is important for us to remember not only who we are but also whose we are: children of the omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent God. Paul gave us the recipe to success saying, “But Christ, as the Son, is in charge of God’s entire house. And we are God’s house, if we keep our courage and remain confident in our hope in Christ.” (Hebrews 3:6) Going forward, let us ‘keep our courage and remain confident’ knowing God will carry us through to the end. What outcome are you unsure of today? Where do you need a boost of confidence from God’s promises to you? My prayer is that when we face an uphill battle, we remember where God helped us overcome and, in the end, will again give us the victory. Amen.