"We Do Not Lose Heart"

reads: "We do not lose heart"

My son recently gave me the latest in identification bracelets used in the Tour de France....it is called a Road ID.  This father's day gift was a good idea for an old man...a diabetic...who ought to have identification in case of an accident while running or bicycling.  In addition to my identification information, he also had it engraved to say, "We do not lose heart" at the bottom of the ID plate.  As a Christian and a distance athlete....he realizes that both in athletics and in life...we get discouraged.  We need an encouraging word.  A word of truth to keep us going.

Paul was giving his fellow Christians in Corinth an encouraging word in tough times.  He starts this Chapter with "we do not lose heart."  and he closes chapter 4 with the same 5 words...""we do not lose heart."  In between he has one of the most inspirational pep talks for tough times, "But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.  We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;  persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.  We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body."

Paul is telling us when times are tough, when we feel weak....don't fret...Jesus is Strong. We will be pushed to our limits...but Jesus will see us through life. "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

So my bracelet is encouragement from my son....but also encouragement from "The Son"...that He is with me in my momentary troubles...and will be with me throughout eternity.