“He replied, “Go tell that fox, ‘I will keep on driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach  my goal.’ “  - Luke 13:32 NIV

 Recently I was watching the Christmas scenes that were  portrayed on the TV - New York City was aglow.  One that   caught my eye was the ice rink at Rockefeller Center.  I watched as moms, dads and kids went round and round.  Its been years since I’ve been skating and it brought back  many memories of Saturday afternoons skating round and  round and round.  Actually, I didn’t like ice skating that much I was always cold.  In thinking back I also remember that I wasn’t really good at ice skating.  (fell a lot)  I was never that comfortable on my skates.

As I watched people skating - many of the little ones who were just learning to skate were clinging onto the side railing, and they inched their way around the rink or they were hanging onto their parents.

Just when they thought they had it, they would let go of the rail, only to immediately fall to the ice.  A skating rink floor is hard and unrelenting and cold and the looks on their faces reflected this.  But the kids were not to be deterred.  Up they would get and continue around until they fell again and again and again.  I admired the children.  As an adult, if I failed that many times I would give up.  But they preserved longer than any adult on the rink.

It’s sad that our perseverance often falters as we get older.  Children are learning new things every day, but as adults we like to stick to what we know.  This behavior certainly wasn’t taught to us by Christ.  His tenacity and perseverance to push ahead and keep going, even under great persecution, was incredible.  If you need some motivation to keep going, read the gospels about Christ.  Each and every day He pushed forward, even unto a devastating death.  We also see this in the life of Paul and the disciples.  Philippians 3:14;  “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”  As we close one year and look to the year to come, I hope we are not like those who fall and don’t get up.  Those who quit…  I pray that we might be so committed to our calling that we will continue to rise and push forward towards Christ and His Kingdom.