Vision Verses

             Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. (Deuteronomy 6:4-5)

But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)

Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39)

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:1-3)

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights. (Habakkuk 3:17-19)

 

I am not fond of a lot of poetry, but there are some poems I like. If by Rudyard Kipling (If— by Rudyard Kipling | Poetry Foundation) is one that I like. I’m not sure it’s exactly and totally true, but it gives the reader a vision for what (at least to Kipling) it takes to be a man (including women.) Today’s passages are like that poem. They give a vision of what it means to be a Christian – of what being “more than a conqueror” (yesterday’s main passage) looks like. These are Vision Verses.

They aren’t meant to provide the complete vision of Christianity, but they speak of the essence of faith – the ideas of endurance, perseverance, and consistency. This is where we take our stand and don’t back down. This is how we take our stand and don’t back down. I don’t think much else needs to be said about them today – just read them until they soak in.