Saturday, December 13 You need endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the fulfillment of the promise.​—Heb. 10:36.

[Áine]

Saturday, December 13

You need endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the fulfillment of the promise.—Heb. 10:36.

 

The early Christians needed to endure. Besides dealing with problems common to all people, they faced additional trials. Many of them were persecuted, not only by Jewish religious leaders and the Roman authorities but also by their own families. (Matt. 10:21) And within the congregation, sometimes they had to fight the influence of the apostates and their divisive teachings. (Acts 20:29, 30) Yet, those Christians endured. (Rev. 2:3) How? They reflected on Scriptural examples of endurance, such as Job. (Jas. 5:10, 11) They prayed for strength. (Acts 4:29-31) And they focused on the good results of their endurance. (Acts 5:41) We too can endure if we regularly study examples of endurance in God’s Word and in our publications and meditate on them. w23.07 3 ¶5-6

[ASIIMWEV]

*LESSONS FROM TODAY'S TEXT* 

 _Lessons from Today’s Text — Saturday, December 13 (Hebrews 10:36)_ 

 *Endurance is essential to receive God’s promises.* 
Doing Jehovah’s will is not always easy, but endurance helps us remain faithful until the fulfillment of his promises.

 *Trials can come from many directions.* 
Like the early Christians, we may face opposition from authorities, family members, or even discouraging influences within the congregation. This reminds us to stay spiritually alert.

 *Good examples strengthen endurance.* 
Reflecting on faithful servants like Job helps us see that endurance is possible and rewarding, even under severe trials.

 *Prayer is a vital source of strength.* 
The early Christians prayed earnestly for courage and strength, showing that endurance depends on Jehovah, not on human power alone.

 *Focusing on the results helps us endure.* 
Thinking about Jehovah’s approval and the joy that comes from faithfulness helps us endure present hardships with a positive outlook.

 *Regular spiritual study builds endurance.* 
Meditating on examples of endurance in the Bible and in our publications prepares us to face trials before they arise.

 *Key Thought:* 
Endurance is not passive waiting—it is active faith, strengthened by prayer, study, and a clear focus on Jehovah’s promised reward.

[Vincent Callahan]

Thoughts on the Daily Text:

 

I just wanted to focus on an aspect of us enduring and it involves the spiritual armor we must put on as Christians, I also wanted to focus on a specific part of the armor here. 

I wanted to talk about how the helmet of salvation helps us endure. And we recognize the helmet of salvation as the resurrection hope.

 

1 Thessalonians 5:8

But as for us who belong to the day, let us keep our senses and put on the breastplate of faith and love and the hope of salvation as a helmet.

 

I think also of the Scripture in Hebrews that speaks on Jesus Christ freeing us from the captivity to sin and the fear of death.

 

Hebrews 2:14, 15

Therefore, since the “young children” are sharers of blood and flesh, he also similarly shared in the same things, so that through his death he might bring to nothing the one having the means to cause death, that is, the Devil,

and that he might set free all those who were held in slavery all their lives by their fear of death.

 

Exercising faith in the works that Christ completed will help us to endure the more extreme forms of persecution. And I think of one last verse:

 

Hebrews 4:15

For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tested in all respects as we have, but without sin.

 

We have a High priest who can sympathize with our weaknesses and this gives me hope, helps me to remember that my work is not in vain in connection with the Lord, and how he sees my sacrifices and appreciates my faithfulness. These are things that definitely help me to endure to know I serve a God that is reasonable and tempers his sense of justice with compassion and mercy.