THE SEED
“Let us [fix] our eyes on Jesus…. For the joy set before him he endured the cross.” Hebrews 12:1-2
In rapid succession Paul illustrates Christian living by comparing it to the life of a soldier, an athlete, and a farmer. I have never served in the military, I am not an athlete, and I was not raised on a farm. But I get the point of Paul’s examples. He brackets his images with the words “Join with me in suffering … . I endure everything for the sake of the elect.” Soldiers endure discipline, separation, combat, and at times a seemingly arbitrary commanding officer. Athletes endure training, sweat, sore muscles, and at times defeat, which can be heartbreaking and humiliating. Farmers endure uncertain weather, cantankerous animals, balky machinery, and at times devastating loss. But endurance is not limited to three professions. Plumbers, accountants, teachers, students, parents, nurses—all endure. Add your own occupation to the list. Being human requires endurance. And endurance requires grace. That’s why Paul prefaces his call to endurance with these words: “Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” No one endured more than Jesus. He endured the cross as he took on himself the penalty for all our sin—that we might have life. So we fix our eyes on him, who focused on the joy of winning that victory for us.
BIBLE READING: 2 TIMOTHY 2:1-10
PRAYER: Father, may the endurance of Jesus enable us to endure for him. In his name we hope. Amen.
ÍPAMỌ́RA
IRUGBIN NAA
“Ki a máa wò Jésù olùpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ ati aláṣẹpe ìgbàgbọ́ wa; ẹni nitori ayọ tí a gbé ka iwájú Rẹ ti o farada agbelebu làika ìtìjú sì, tí o sí joko ni ọwọ ọtún itẹ Ọ́lọ́run.” Heberu 12:2
Ni leralera kánkán Pọ́ọ̀lù ṣàkàwé ìgbé ayé Kristẹni nípa fífi í wé ìgbésí ayé ọmọ ogun, eléré ìdárayá àti Àgbẹ̀. Mi ò tíì ṣiṣẹ́ ológun rí, èmi kì í ṣe eléré ìdárayá, bẹ́ẹ̀ ni wọn kò tọ mí dàgbà nínu oko. Ṣùgbọ́n mo rí kókó inú àpẹẹrẹ Pọ́ọ̀lù. O so awọn aworan rẹ mọra pẹlu awọn ọrọ naa “darapọ pẹlu mi ni ijiya. Mo farada ohun gbogbo nitori awọn ayanfẹ.” Awọn ọmọ ogun máa nfarada ijẹ niya, ìpínyà, awọn ijakadi, lati ọwọ àwọn adari wọn tó rorò. Awọn elere idaraya máa nfarada idanilẹkọ, ilaagun, iṣan ti o gbà ọgbẹ, ati ni awọn igba miran ijakulẹ eyiti o le jẹ ibanujẹ ati itiju. Àwọn àgbẹ̀ máa ń fara da ojú ọjọ́ ti kò dára tó, àwọn ẹranko tí o máa njẹ ohun ọ̀gbìn, àwọn ẹ̀rọ ti kò ṣe deede, àti nígbà mìíràn wọn a ni àdánù tí o bá wọn lọ́kan jẹ. Ípamọ́ra kò pin sí ọdọ àwọn oniru ru iṣẹ wọn yí; onisẹ ẹrọ omi, èleto ìṣúná owó, olukọ, ọmọ ilé ìwé, obi, nọọsi gbogbo wọn ló ní ifarada. Fi iṣẹ ti ara rẹ kun ato kọ yi. Pé o jẹ eniyan, o nilo ifarada. Ifarada nilo Oore-ọfẹ. Idi niyi ti Paulu fi ifarada ṣaaju ipe rẹ pẹlu awọn ọrọ wọnyi: “Ẹ jẹ alagbara ninu oore-ọfẹ ti o wa ninu Kristi Jesu. Ko sí ẹnikan ti o farada ju Jesu lọ, O farada agbelebu bi o ti gba ijiya gbogbo ẹṣẹ wa sori ara Rẹ, ki awa ki o le ni iye. Nítorí na a ni a ṣe gbe oju wa si í, eniti o f’oju sí ayọ ìṣẹgun na fun wa.
BIBELI KIKA: 2 Timoteu 2:1-10
ADURA: Baba, jẹ ki ifarada Jesu le rán wá lọwọ láti le farada fun Ọ. Ni orúkọ Rẹ ni a ni ireti Amin.