Day 145, or May 25. I will never, never give in. Our thoughts today come from Job chapter
27 verse 3. As long as I have life within me, the breath of God in my nostrils.
First the big picture surrounding this verse. Pressure keeps pouring on to Job's head as
Bildad returns to join in the argument. It appears Job cuts him short as he interrupts
shortly after Bildad begins to speak. There is real pressure to simply concede defeat
and forget the principles that were once so important to Job. He's on a tightrope walk,
trying to be faithful to what he knows is right, and yet to have a normal, fulfilled
life. Job is in a minority of one, and his friends, upon whom he should have been able
to rely, are not for him but firmly against him. Job is convinced that he needs wisdom,
and that it can only come from God no matter how clever and eloquent his opponents are.
He is determined to hold on.
And now today's action step. Stubbornness is not a very attractive quality,
but being resolute and determined are aspects of personality that most people would love
to have. Job talks about wisdom and where to get it, and wisdom is certainly required
if we are to discern the difference between these strong characteristics of our own personality.
In the days of Sir Winston Churchill, it was the norm for many to turn to God for inspiration
and security, and there is little doubt that he often did this. He was renowned for being
both stubborn and determined, and once said, 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 force, never yield to the apparently overwhelming
might of the enemy. I can hear Job saying, Amen, can't you?
Thankfully, we are not left to struggle alone. We have the Holy Spirit's daily help, but
we have to play our part too. So, never, never, never give in.