What if we quit? Who will bear the Good News,
Spread the glad message if we should refuse?
We must go forth: there is no other way:
Let us press on without further delay.
What if we quit when the way becomes hard?
Rugged and rough was the path of our Lord.
Bitter the cup which He drank for our sake:
He did not quit, nor His mission forsake.
What if we quit? Have we counted the cost?
Men in their sins are eternally lost.
Jesus has died their salvation to win:
Still they will perish and die in their sin.
What if we quit? Can we not hear the cry
Rising from souls who are fearful to die?
How can we carelessly heed not their plea?
Voices are calling to you and to me.
Lord of the Harvest, we go at Thy Word,
Spreading the gospel ’til all men have heard;
Promised Thy power to defeat every foe,
Promised Thy presence as onward we go.
by Ross Vanstone
The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. Luke 10:2
I have been thinking about the prize towards which we need to strive (“the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” Phil. 3:13-14) in light of this poem and the current Olympics in London. What if Gabby and the other medalists had given up when they had minor injuries or got discouraged? What if they had not been committed to training, just as we need to be committed to daily reading & praying? They would have missed their current glory and prize! We too, need to press on and not quit, just as this poem exhorts us to. Obedience to His Father (Luke 2:49), as well as our redemption and salvation, and the resulting joy (Hebrews 12:1-3) was the prize/outcome that the Lord Jesus focused on throughout His lifetime. We must have a right focus in order to prevent us from getting distracted, losing heart, and eventually quitting!
Per your thoughts posted today (#83), a right focus would be on the risen, crucified Lord & Saviour Jesus Christ with whom we will reign eternally. Or… how would you define a right focus?
I think what you wrote is well said. Your verse in Hebrews 12:2 directs us to the Lord Jesus as our perfect example, the One in whom we trust. Surely if our focus is on ourselves, we will become discouraged and disheartened. Col. 3:1-4 reminds us to focus on heavenly things and the Lord’s coming.
A few months ago I was discussing Phil. 3:11 with another believer (a difficult verse to interpret, in my opinion). I think it relates to this discussion. How I came to understand it is as follows:
“so that through hardship, sharing the experience of the Lord Jesus (v10), I may arrive victorious at my final goal and prize, my calling from above (v14), having become complete and mature (v12), like Christ in His character of separation from sin (v10) and living the resurrected life in all its power and fullness.”
Here it seems that Paul links the prize with knowing Christ and becoming like Christ until that day when he would be with Christ. This is truly a grand goal to strive for (Phil. 3:20-21 NASB).
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I like your paraphrase of your understanding of Phil. 3:10-14. Your thought of passing through hardship reminded me of Phil. 1:29.
Yes, we have been given a grand goal to strive for!