(Hebrews 6:11-12 ESV) And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
February 15 will always be a bittersweet day for me because it is the day that my mother passed away. She had suffered with Alzheimer’s in the latter years of her life. Had it not been for the debilitating effects of the sickness, she was otherwise as healthy and strong as could be. In fact, on several occasions her physicians pronounced her perfectly healthy and declared, “She’ll live forever. She just won’t know it.”
I remember feeling so sorry for her at times. I was convinced that she had to be suffering terribly. But, then she would do something funny and just break out in this big smile that ended in a full on laugh. On warm days, we would sit together on the deck and listen to the Southern Gospel station on Pandora. Though Alzheimer’s had taken her ability to speak, she would mouth the words to songs that she remembered. It was delightful to listen to her “grunt” the songs, clap her hands, and stomp her big ‘ol Pentecostal feet.
One day while interacting with mom, it dawned on me that she was very much aware that Heaven was near. Though her body was limited by earthly limitations, her spirit was full of hope. She was not doubtful of the outcome. She knew she was nearing death, but her faith remained fully assured of hope until the end. I don’t remember a time that I thought she was emotionally frustrated with her situation. She maintained a beautiful spirit until the end.
In this passage of Scripture, the writer of Hebrews encourages the Believers to have that kind of hope. He told them to observe the example of those who had already inherited the promises through faith and patience. In fact, he told them to imitate them. No doubt, we will all face circumstances that could throw us off course and cause us to become sluggish. But, if we earnestly contend for our faith, we too, shall inherit eternal life.
Thanks mom, for reminding me of that.
PRAYER: Father, I intend to make it! I’ve come too far to turn back now. With your help, I will not allow the circumstances of life to cause my faith to become sluggish. But like so many others who have completed their earthly journey, I intend to have the full assurance of faith until the end. Amen.
Thinking Out Loud 