Just one more day, just two more weeks, just a few more tests, papers to write, exams, finals, just one more meeting, these are just some of the ways we encourage ourselves and each other to keep going. We say, “Just one more. “ When you get too tired (exhausted), but you can see the end from here, you feel that you can do just one more.
Many things in life seem so long, such as preparations for a wedding, senior year of high school, the end of a semester, time left before vacation or the next long weekend. And some things seem so short! The honeymoon, vacation days, a long weekend, any weekend! But what are we to do when it gets harder and harder to listen to “just one more” just one more time?
Our daughter is getting married in less than two weeks. My son has finals the week after the wedding. We have just a few more details to iron out. We have one more weekend to finish cleaning up for company. We have a few more days to wait to hug family we haven’t seen in a while. We have a few more days before our baby becomes a married woman. We have a few more days to hug her and enjoy her.
We have a few more months before our youngest is back in school and away from home. We have another few weeks before we have to decide about whether to buy fireworks this year. We have so many things to look forward to or keep up our strength for, but what about now? How are we viewing things in this moment? What do we do?
We think of others. We stop and reflect. We take time to pray. We pray for each other. We pray for those going through hard times and we reach out to them in various ways. We encourage them with smiles and tangible help. We write notes or send money. We bring food and more smiles. We pray for healing and for mercy. We pray for direction and for gas money. We ask what we could do to help. Sometimes we just are there for them.
Acts 20:24 What matters most to me is to finish what God started: the job the Master Jesus gave me of letting everyone I meet know all about this incredibly extravagant generosity of God.
Heb 12:1-2 Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!
Gal 6:9-10 So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith.
