Yesterday while I was taking a walk in my driveway I came upon a little tortoise. My first thought was that I wished I had brought my camera on my walk. Since I walk from my house to a certain point on the driveway and then turn and come back (I do that 5 times for 1 mile), when I got back to the house I ran in and got my camera. I was afraid that I might have scared him and he would have walked into the woods by the time I could get back down to where I left him. But, no, he was a brave little turtle and had just kept plodding along the driveway! He even seemed to pose for a picture instead of pulling his head into his shell as they usually do when someone comes near.
Do you remember the old Aesop's Fable about the tortoise and the hare?
One day a hare saw a tortoise walking slowly along and began to laugh and mock him. The hare challenged the tortoise to a race and the tortoise accepted. They agreed on a route and started off the race. The hare shot ahead and ran briskly for some time. Then seeing that he was far ahead of the tortoise, he thought he'd sit under a tree for some time and relax before continuing the race.
He sat under the tree and soon fell asleep. The tortoise, plodding on, overtook him and finished the race. The hare woke up and realized that he had lost the race.
The moral, stated at the end of the fable, is, "Slow and steady wins the race."
Sometimes I feel like I am moving at the same slow pace at that little turtle I saw yesterday. Very S.L.O.W. I've never been known for being fast at anything anyway. It takes me more time than some to get things done. And sometimes I feel like just giving up. There are times when I feel like I'm not really accomplishing much for the Lord. The devil whispers in my ear that I am not really needed or that I'm a failure. And the sad thing is that sometimes...I listen to his lies! Shame on me! Has that ever happened to you? Do you ever get discouraged and tired running the race of life?
I want to encourage and be encouraged today. Let's determine to set our faces toward "the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" as Paul did in Philippians 3: 14. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other. We don't have to be like the hare and start off running hard only to burn out and then sit out the rest of our lives napping on the sidelines! Let's be like the tortoise ..... set our eyes on the finish line and keep plodding along!
"Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain." I Corinthians 9: 24
Plodding along today,
Marilyn
5 comments:
Very good instruction; sometimes I feel as though I have been 'sifted' by satan and I know that is his desire to 'sift' each of us
who love and wish to serve the Lord .Most often we are discouraged by those around us (things they do and things they say
about us or to us). And it does the most harm when it is supposedly fellow christians. It seems that women are particularily
vulnerable to these things. On the positive side thank you for the article and the picture and hope you are having a great week!
With Love,
Peggy
Precious Marilyn,
What wisdom and encouragement you have poured out onto each of us that will walk your way today.
Lovingly,
Yolanda
i loved this illustration and the message that it inspired!
you always made me realize I need to start walking! Yay for you!
So often I feel like I am doing more harm than good in ministry and Satan certainly encourages me to feel that way. I pray that I will consistently make a positive impact for Jesus in this world.
leah
Hi Marilyn...Great post! I just stopped by to let you know my computer will be in the shop, so if you don't hear from me, don't worry this time! The fact that you were worried about ne yesterday meant a lot to me, and I appreciate your concern and your prayers. I'm feeling a little better, but taking it easy. Talk to you soon.
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