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Retaining Walls
Tim SavageYou should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. 2For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. 2 Timothy 3
I run around Diamond Head for exercise. I can’t say I love running, but it’s the quickest way for me to get a good workout. Anyway, there are a few luxury homes on the ledges above the road, usually big, beautiful and expensive homes. Recently, as I was running around a bend in the road I saw a huge pile of rock and dirt covering half the road. One of the ledges under a house had given way and part of the hill disintegrated into rubble that now blocked much of the street. Now, that ledge didn’t just bust loose on that particular day, it had been eroding and wearing away over the course of many, many years, finally weakened to the point of collapse and failure.
That’s like our society in these final days. We will face difficult times as Christ followers because the world will demand that we approved and condone behavior that goes against God’s word. Our efforts to keep relationship and decorum will be pressed to the point of breaking as the world strays further and further from God’s will. The foundation of our country will erode to the point of collapse.
We are called to be a retaining wall around the foundation. Verse 14says,“But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you.” Now, months later, this same property along my running route is still working to fortify the ledge by re-building the foundation and installing a wall to prevent any further erosion. We need to stand firm for God. We must not accept or condone the erosion to our morals and integrity of our foundation and we will not be popular because of that. God didn’t call us to be popular, He called us to obey His commands. He didn’t ask us to swim along with the pack, He asked us to swim upstream. That’s much harder.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Please help me prepare for the difficult times ahead. We have been so sheltered and protected until now, but we must train for the challenges to come. Please give us strength and courage, wisdom and discernment to represent You well.
In Jesus name,
Amen
