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"Never"
Buell Fogg, Assistant to the President of Union College, repeated these immortal words by Winston Churchill last Sunday, May 20, at the Minnetonka Christian Academy graduation ceremony. The word "Never" never sounded better than when Buell said it with a quite acceptable British accent, leaving off the "r," so that it sounded like "neva." It's such a nice sound to my still South African trained ears.
Churchill's famous expression is excellent advice for seniors graduating from high school and for Christians who never graduate from their spiritual school. But they do face the temptation to give up. Have you? Are you, right now?
I have a strong sense that in any group of ten committed followers of Jesus gathered together in one place, at least three will be in the throws of battling the pull to give up on something. Some wrestle with giving up on the relationship they vowed to cherish "'til death us do part." Some wrestle with giving up their job that has become intolerable, their college studies that is too demanding, their church that has let them down, their political party that has sold out to the wrong ideology, their financial plan to get out of debt, and even life itself that has become too much to deal with. Some even contemplate giving up on God.
"Never Give Up!" is good advice for many of those areas of life listed above. For the graduating seniors it will stand them in good stead if they recall these words and act on them as they often face tough situations. Indeed, for Nicholas, Mitchell, Tania, Jonathan-David, Noelle, Gerard, Luke, Bailey, Ashley and Alyssa the achievement of serving humanity with distinction is altogether possible if they never give up on God, the superb principles they have been taught, and their commitment to Jesus Christ. And you, whatever the situation you find yourself in right now, "Never Give Up!" is vital to determining whether or not you will be what God created you for.
There is another side to the "Never Give Up!" coin. Instead of stubbornly holding on to something destructive, giving up can be healthy. It takes wisdom to know when pursuing a coarse that is heading for a dead end should be given up. How we wish Satan would give up his destruction!
The Bible directs us in what we should persevere in. Romans 5:3-4, "W e also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope." Clearly, the associates of perseverance tells us what we should never give up on.
David Jeremiah in his daily e-message quotes Winston Churchill more fully: "Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never-in nothing, great or small, large or petty-never give in, except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy."
Did you know that Churchill gave that speech to a group of young schoolboys at the Harrow School in England , Churchill's own alma mater? It was at the time when Germany was at war with England , during World War II.
"Genius, that power that dazzles mortal eyes, is oft but perseverance in disguise." (Henry Austin)
Jesus chose to persevere even though He asked for the cup of affliction to be taken away from Him. How thankful we should be that He did go through with suffering on the Cross for us. And surely, that is where we find our incentive to never give up.
-- Pastor Ivan Blake
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