Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. Rev. 14:12

Martin Collins makes this observation, "It is not just our faith in Him, but His faith placed in us. Faithfulness, therefore, is a gift of God produced through the Holy Spirit." Talk about something knocking you back on your heels! How awesome is it to consider God has faith in us?

Even the most dedicated Christians approach the Book of Revelation with great care. It is so easy to be distracted from the book’s central message – Jesus is triumphant. Those who accept Him and walk according to His teaching will ascend to Heaven and spend eternity with God. All the heartaches, all the persecutions, all the laughter they receive in the world will be forgotten and washed away. These shall be the ones clothed in white and standing before the throne of God.

There are times each of us want to say enough, let me just live my days in peace. We grow weary with the life of faith. Sometimes the demands of serving, church and family crowd in on us and we want to push back. "Here is the patience of the saints" the scripture proclaims and echoes in our ears and hearts. "Here are those who keep the commandments of God" the phrase calls us to our knees to seek His forgiveness.

The faith we have received is a joy – a blessing. We have the great honor to tell others about Jesus and how He has changed our lives. Let us not grow weary, as Paul writes, in well doing. Long ago someone wrote, "Evangelism is one beggar telling about where there is bread." How can we tire when so many lives depend on our witness? They need the bread of life – the water of life which we have received and are commanded to share.

Rise and let us run the race together. As a child we each remember running with the wind – the shear joy of running. Young and youthful with our legs filled with energy. Let us run and not grow weary. Let us have patience and keep the commandments.