Determination

"But this I am resolved on: to run when I can, to walk when I cannot run, to crawl when I cannot walk. My mind is beyond the river where there is no bridge." Pilgrim's Progress, Sixth Stage



"I walk slowly, but I do not walk back." Abraham Lincoln concerning his resolve to uphold the Emancipation Proclamati0n.



As the time drew near for his return to heaven, he (Jesus) moved steadily onward toward Jerusalem with an iron will. Luke 9:51 Life Application Bible



These are stirring words. Contrast them with this story:

Before retiring one evening, a man told his wife he planned to start walking for exercise the next morning before dawn. When the wife awoke after sunrise, her husband was still asleep.

She shook him awake and asked,"Why aren't you walking?"

He replied,"I wanted to but my toes voted against me ten to one."



The Pilgrim; Lincoln; Jesus. They had different goals but they had one essential thing in common: Rock-solid Determination to reach their goal. Their destination was always before them and, no matter what, they refused to let obstacles deter them. They would not settle for half a loaf. Jesus was Son of Man as well as Son of God and the temptations to quit the journey or take the easy way must have presented themselves to him. But he knew that whatever hardships he might go through, the reward would make it all worthwhile.
".....looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame and has set down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2, The New KJV



Occasionally my wife will tell me I am a 'godly man' or a 'good man.' Each time the compliments literally make me cringe and I firmly tell her I am neither godly nor good. I remind her that Jesus said, "There is none good but God." I am much more like the man who let his toes tell him what he could do.



The truth is, I struggle every day to keep my eyes on Jesus. My faith is weak. But I have learned not to have faith in my faith but to have faith in Christ's faith. I believe my struggles are in common with all who have set their foot on the path to follow Jesus. It is a sign both that we are never going to quit and of our unchanging confidence that Jesus is our Savior.

In our determined walk with Jesus we may walk slowly, but we do not walk back.