It was an honor and a privilege this past weekend to spend some time with a great man of God who has been a mentor, friend, and confidante to me for the past thirty years.
My friend is in his mid-eighties now and he has been working with the Lord for nearly seventy years. During these many years of his service to the Lord, he has endured many trials, yet he continues working for the Lord.
In his work he has been mistreated by church members, he has been fired by leaders, he has suffered the loss of people close to him, he has endured health concerns, and he has dealt with family issues.
My friend has faced criticism, he has been written up and written off. He has not always been paid what he was worth and he has not always been treated with the respect he deserves.
I’m sure he has at times felt alone. He has wondered if what he was doing mattered and if he needed to quit. What is it that would keep a man of God who has seen it all continue persevering?
He speaks often of prayer and staying in the Word. He is optimistic about life, but he is also realistic about the trials we encounter. My friend understands that all of God’s people will suffer with Jesus if we wish to be glorified with Him.
It was a joy to sit and hear him talk about the work of the Lord. My friend spoke of how he believed that we are living in some of the most exciting times our world has known. He mentioned that we have more opportunities and more resources than we have ever had in his lifetime.
We thank God for men like him who refuse to allow Satan to be victorious over us. We thank God for people who continue the fight and who choose not to quit. We thank God for you, dear preaching brothers. Hang in there and remember, victory is promised by a Savior who loves you supremely.
