OMER COUNT – DAY 25

We have reached Omer Count – Day 25. Today in our counting we will examine the endurance aspect of endurance.

ARE YOU STILL COUNTING THE DAYS?

Are you still with us as we count down the 50 days from Passover to Pentecost using the omer counting aspects that the Jewish people have been so faithful to preserve; but in a Christian way? Today we are on Omer Count – Day 25 which is almost half-way to Pentecost. We still have half of the blessings to meditate upon!

These things that we are meditating upon are all of the emotions and traits that, if developed properly, help us to live in the abundant ways that God intended for us to live. I love making these part of our “IN SEASON Lifestyle.”

A good friend said something very significant to me a few days ago. I had just given a talk about keeping time with God. Afterward she commented that “if we all kept time with God, His way, on His calendar, we would never lack for something to look forward to.” I thought that was profound. It is the keeping of the days, both ordinary and during holy seasons that make life exciting and new every day. It is my prayer that you have found this secret too.

I hope every day of this counting has enriched your spiritual growth in some form or fashion. They definitely enrich my own personal growth each year. Layers of learning seems to build upon layers and new levels of truths come forth when least expected. Understanding life is part of living life well. Understanding these aspects of life with God increases that ability. This is our growing season! The counts help us to develop and grow in God’s will for our days on the earth.

HOW INTENSE IS OUR ENDURANCE?

So, today we will meditate on how intense our endurance has become in our walk with God. Netzach means “endurance.” Any good endurance requires the use of willpower and determination.

Is there something hard that you have been enduring which requires great willpower?

One aspect of this for me personally is the constant battle of losing weight. My doctor has been guiding me through the whole process. I’ve been making great strides toward success, but the closer and closer I get toward the goal the more willpower I need to achieve it.

One little slip-up here and there, and I’ve totally wasted a lot of endurance. I’ve reached a place in which I must be very determined to increase the intensity of my endurance in order to take this improvement to a higher level of success.

WILLPOWER IS REQUIRED

As we reach Omer Count – Day 25, I find that I’m constantly having to increase my willpower to move forward in this physical struggle.

Willpower is as important in our spiritual battles as our physical battles. Good willpower requires consistency and reliability. I can hear my doctor saying; “Now; can I rely on you to lose at least 30 more pounds before your next visit?”

She is relying on me to carry out her instructions. It is in my best interest. My health (blood pressure rates and cholesterol counts) depend on me being reliable to do as I have promised her. At my age this is literally a life or death matter.

God is relying on us to carry out His instructions too. He wrote them down in a book for us because they are so important for us to achieve eternal life. These things are written for our best interest.

STAYING SPIRITUALLY HEALTHY

God counts on us to remain spiritually healthy in the same way that our doctor hopes for us to remain physically healthy. Omer Count – Day 25 reminds us that we must keep enduring.

We all have our good days and bad days. Sometimes, because we are human, we fail to meet the heavenly goals required for us to live our lives from a Christian mindset 24/7. But repentance and our endurance helps us to get back up again, dust ourselves off from our falls and go out there and start over.

Jesus is an awesome coach. His endurance gives us a perfect example. If we ask for His help in strengthening our willpower; He will continue to pour God’s Holy Spirit out on us. We will be strengthened to stay the course.

Our endurance will become more enduring!

COMMITMENT IS IMPORTANT

The fact that we do not pursue endurance as much as needed in a situation is often because of our lack of a good solid commitment to the cause.

We need to ask ourselves how committed we are to enduring the goals we have found helpful in meeting our God-given purpose and destiny.

Are we headed in the right direction for patient endurance over the long-haul?

What can we do to increase the intensity of this endurance for the long-term; and not just the short-term future?

OUR ETERNAL GOALS

Are we looking at life from the perspective of eternal goals? That aspect of being a Christian and living out a Christian lifestyle surely takes great endurance.

If we can’t think in terms of eternity; we need to ask ourselves; why? Are we afraid of the changes that this will create in our daily living now?

IS OUR ENDURANCE HEALTHY?

Think of the last time that you have had a tough time with your own endurance. Was it a healthy thing that you were trying to endure or did this endurance cause you unnecessary stress and anxiety?

We need to focus on healthy goals when it comes to endurance.

If you are enduring more pain than pleasure in a situation you need to ask yourself how healthy those goals are.

Do those painful situations you are enduring make for a better future or is it all an act of futility that you need to avoid in the future?

DEVELOPING NEW HABITS

Once again; making such changes requires willpower and determination.

Are we developing new habits in our lives that help us to endure the healthy goals for our future? If not; why?

We all have the capacity, with the help of God, to endure much more than we can imagine. Let’s ask God to help us set the right goals, then to be able to endure them with strength for our eternal future.

PRAYER FOR TODAY: Father, please show us the things that are worth endurance. If we need to pursue these things please show us how to increase what we are already pursuing. However, if the things we are enduring are not of you and of no benefit to Your Kingdom, give us the strength and willpower to lay those things down and move on.

Thank you God for how you help us through every moment of our lives. In Jesus Name we pray. Amen