Love Keeps Us Going
LOVE KEEPS US GOING!
Dr. J. Mike Minnix, Editor, www.pastorlife.com
As we approach Valentine’s Day, I’m reminded of a story about Jimmy Durante, who was one of the 20th Century’s greatest comic actors. He had a nickname because of his large nose – he was called The Great Schnozzola.
Durante was asked to be a part of a show for World War II veterans but he complained that his schedule was far too busy for him to appear for more than a few minutes. He was informed that a few minutes for the soldiers who had given so much on the field of battle was a lot better than nothing at all. So Durante agreed to appear.
He took the stage in front of hundreds of soldiers home from the war and was supposed to speak for no more than 10 minutes; however, Jimmy stayed on the stage for the 10 minutes and then stretched it out to 15 minutes, then 20 minutes and he ended up on the stage for more than 30 minutes entertaining the troops. As he went on with his program the applause grew louder and louder.
Finally, Jimmy Durante left the stage to thunderous applause. The director asked Durante why he had extended his program when he was supposed to be in a hurry. Durante admitted that he was going to be late for his next appointment but what he saw on the first row of soldiers made him stay longer. He then told the director to look on the front row and see for himself what prompted the comedian to go on for over twice as long as he meant to perform. In the front row were two men, each of whom had lost an arm in the war. One had lost his right arm and the other had lost his left. But together, they were able to clap, and that's exactly what they were doing, loudly and cheerfully.
In Hebrews 12:1-3 we are told of a great cloud of witnesses that have gone before us in the service of Christ. Many of them gave their all – their blood and their lives for the faith. We are told to lay aside every weight and all sin that slows us down so that we might run with patience the Christian race for our Lord. We are to look to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith as we run the race faithfully for Him.
It has been said that to go fast you can go alone, but to go far you must go together. We are to lay aside every weight, including any feelings or personal grudges, so that we might go on together to the very end in our service for the Lord. After all, if the Lord pulled back the curtain and allowed us to see that great cloud of witnesses who went before us, we would see the suffering they endured for our Lord. Above all, we would see in the hands of Jesus the scars reminding us of the price He paid for our redemption. Let love rule in our hearts so that we might be faithful in the Christian race! It is love for Jesus, love for one another and love for a lost world that will keep us going - and all of that is wrapped up in the the face that HE FIRST LOVED US!
