OCTOBER 17 "DON'T THROW IN THE TOWEL YET!"

"Don't throw in the towel yet" ....This idiom comes from the world of boxing, when a boxer's manager or coach throws the white towel into the ring, signaling that his boxer is done, he can fight no more. We should have this idiom up on our fridges, up on the mirror in our bathroom or we could simply read the Word of God and get it there. "It will be a time of trouble for my people, yet in the end they will be saved." How important it is to know that.  If we can see the goal in sight, it re-invigorates us to keep pushing forward. We've all heard the story of the world distance swimmer that stopped short of the beach because it was hidden by the clouds and fog. Had she seen the shore was so close in sight, she would have pressed on, but exhausted and discouraged, not be able to see the shore, she gave up. Praise be to you, who does not need the shore in sight to keep pressing on, but for the rest of us, we do. Hold on there are better days ahead. As I mentioned a few days ago, this is not something we can just speak to anyone in any situation. However, concerning God's people, who are repentant, who are genuinely serving and seeking God, yet going through rough times or reaping from some bad decisions, God will say, "though sorrow may last through the night, joy comes in the morning".  The idea of only one night of sorrow, of course is not to be taken literally, but simply to imply that with God, there's always hope, that He will turn things around for us, in our favor, if we don't let go of Him or "Throw in the Towel". No Christian in their right mind will ever look back and say, "I'm glad I threw in the towel" back then......it will always be regret, more than anything. Every Christian who did not throw in the towel, but held on to God's Word for better days to come, will always confirm that they are so glad they did so. Whether that was throw in the towel for a marriage, a church, a convert, a job, a healing, or even your own salvation, those who heard God's Word's, "It will be a time of trouble for my people, yet in the end they will be saved" are those who found themselves back in the City of God (God's will and blessing).  And we know, through history, that the captivity did end and the people who held, who did not throw in the towel, did, as God said,  find themselves back in Jerusalem! We would be naive to think that everyone who heard Jeremiah's words of hope from God held on to them. I'm sure there were those who still gave up, I"m sure there are those who turned bitter and angry against God, but there are also those who held on to every word. Which will you be, which are you?  No matter where you are at today, the Hope, with God is that if you hold on,  He will bring you back to Jerusalem!

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