Yo! (No) Adrian!

We recently saw the movie Rocky Balboa. Many of the characters from the previous Rocky films are in this one, except Adrian. I don't think it's giving away too much of the plot to tell you that the theme of the movie is, "It ain't over 'til it's over", and it is illustrated in the lives of all the main characters. In a climactic scene, Rocky is making an entrance to the big fight, accompanied by the song, "High Hopes"...the old one about the ant moving the rubber tree plant.

Plausible or not, the movie serves to remind me, and to encourage you, to not 'give up'. A few days ago, I was struggling with something in prayer. I was talking to God and telling Him I'd grown weary of praying for a long-time unanswered prayer. I was resigned to just let it go; que sera sera. I felt that I was focusing too much on this issue, and it was pulling me down. It's not like me at all, but discouragement was taking a toll. Been there?

Within moments, almost as if I was in 'my corner' of the ring, my 'trainer' began to speak to me. I turned to my Bible reading guide for the day, and a scripture verse smacked me across the face... "Take no rest, all you who pray to the Lord. Give the Lord no rest until He completes His work..." (Is. 62:6-7 NLT). That particular scripture verse had been significant to me in the past, and I was somewhat taken aback. Then, I began to read one of the chapters for that day's reading, Genesis 18. Sarah hears the big news first hand about the fulfillment of her long awaited promise... "Is anythng too hard for the Lord?" (v.18). And Abraham boldly intercedes (prays) with the Lord, over and over again, for his nephew's hometown. Smack. Smack. I can hear my 'trainer' saying, "Don't give up... come on, just a few more rounds."

Very dramatic, I know, but that's what it felt like. And, to top it off, over the next 2 days, He threw Luke 11:5-10 and Luke 18:2-5 in the ring (they are about persistent prayer--look them up), and someone even pointed his finger at me and said, 'Don't give up!" I was listening to a message Sunday morning and the preacher said... "God will never say 'give up', but He will say, 'surrender'. Whoa!

Suffice it to say, I will persevere in prayer for that which I believe He's laid upon my heart to advocate till He tells me to stop. I hope, too, that my sharing this may encourage someone else, maybe you. The message of the Gospel, after all, is one of endless hope, one where 'dead' things are given 'new life'. Tho' I know this in my head, I'm putting my heart into it again.

Don't give up, ...it ain't over, till HE says it's over.