Failed in business - Age of 22
Ran for Legislature--defeated 23
Again failed in business 24
Elected to Legislature 25
Sweetheart died 26
Had a nervous breakdown 27
Defeated for Speaker 29
Defeated for Elector 31
Defeated for Congress 34
Elected to Congress 37
Defeated for Congress 39
Defeated for Senate 46
Defeated for Vice President 47
Defeated for Senate 49
Elected President of the United States 51
= Abraham Lincoln
So Jeremiah the prophet said to all the people of Judah and to all those living in Jerusalem: For twenty-three years - from the thirteenth year of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah until this very day - the word of the LORD has come to me and I have spoken to you again and again, but you have not listened. And though the LORD has sent all his servants the prophets to you again and again, you have not listened or paid any attention.
Jeremiah 25:2-4 (NIV)
„« In middle of book of Jeremiah
„« In middle of his ministry
How was Jeremiah able to run with persistence? We¡¦ve already seen 3 keys in his life:
„« Run with Purpose
„« Run with Perspective
„« Run with Prayer
HOW TO RUN WITH PERSEVERANCE
1. Anticipate God¡¦s power
Walking up to a department store’s fabric counter, an attractive young woman said, "I want to buy this material for a new dress. How much does it cost?" "Only one kiss per yard," replied the smirking male clerk.
Not to be taken back by the harassment, the woman said, "That’s fine! I’ll take ten yards." With expectation and anticipation written all over his face, the clerk hurriedly measured out and wrapped the cloth, then held it out teasingly, leaning forward to receive his "payment."
The woman snapped up the package and pointed to a little old man standing beside her. "Grandpa will pay the bill," she smiled.
Even when he could see no results, Jeremiah woke each morning with a great expectation of what God was going to do in his life that day. He looked forward to the privilege of hearing God¡¦s Word and then speaking His word to the people.
Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22-23 (NIV)
Jeremiah was able to persevere because he lived life one day at a time. Every morning he awoke with the anticipation of what God would do in his life that day. The problem with many of us is that we haven¡¦t learned to live our lives like that. Instead, we tend to focus on the long road before us and we worry and get discouraged.
Eugene Peterson:
Jeremiah did not resolve to stick it out for twenty-three years, no matter what; he got up every morning with the sun¡KHe didn¡¦t get up to face rejection, he got up to meet with God. He didn¡¦t rise up to put up with another round of mockery, he rose to be with his Lord. That is the secret of his persevering pilgrimage ¡V not thinking with dread about the long road ahead but greeting the present moment, every present moment, with obedient delight, with expectant hope¡K
Jesus:
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew 6:34 (NIV)
2. Begin with God¡¦s presence
The passengers on the bus watched sympathetically as the attractive young woman with the white cane made her way carefully up the steps. She paid the driver and, using her hands to feel the location of the seats, walked down the aisle and found the seat he’d told her was empty. Then she settled in, placed her briefcase on her lap and rested her cane against her leg.
It had been a year since Susan, thirty-four, became blind. Due to a medical misdiagnosis she had been rendered sightless, and she was suddenly thrown into a world of darkness, anger, frustration and self-pity. Once a fiercely independent woman, Susan now felt condemned by this terrible twist of fate to become a powerless, helpless burden on everyone around her.
"How could this have happened to me?" she would plead, her heart knotted with anger. But no matter how much she cried or ranted or prayed, she knew the painful truth her sight was never going to return. A cloud of depression hung over Susan’s once optimistic spirit. Just getting through each day was an exercise in frustration and exhaustion. And all she had to cling to was her husband Mark.
Mark was an Air Force officer and he loved Susan with all of his heart. When she first lost her sight, he watched her sink into despair and was determined to help his wife gain the strength and confidence she needed to become independent again. Mark’s military background had trained him well to deal with sensitive situations, and yet he know this was the most difficult battle he would ever face.
Finally, Susan felt ready to return to her job, but how would she get there? She used to take the bus, but was now too frightened to get around the city by herself. Mark volunteered to drive her to work each day, even though they worked at opposite ends of the city. At first, this comforted Susan and fulfilled Mark’s need to protect his sightless wife who was so insecure about performing the slightest task.
Soon, however, Mark realized that this arrangement wasn’t working - it was hectic, and costly. Susan is going to have to start taking the bus again, he admitted to himself. But just the thought of mentioning it to her made him cringe. She was still so fragile, so angry. How would she react? Just as Mark predicted, Susan was horrified at the idea of taking the bus again. "I’m blind!" she responded bitterly. "How am I supposed to know where I’m going? I feel like you’re abandoning me."
Mark’s heart broke to hear these words, but he knew what had to be done. He promised Susan that each morning and evening he would ride the bus with her, for as long as it took, until she got the hang of it. And that is exactly what happened.
For two solid weeks, Mark, military uniform and all, accompanied Susan to and from work each day. He taught her how to rely on her other senses, specifically her hearing, to determine where she was and how to adapt to her new environment. He helped her befriend the bus drivers who could watch out for her, and save her a seat. He made her laugh, even on those not-so-good days when she would trip exiting the bus, or drop her briefcase.
Each morning they made the journey together, and Mark would take a cab back to his office. Although this routine was even more costly and exhausting than the previous one, Mark knew it was only a matter of time before Susan would be able to ride the bus on her own. He believed in her, in the Susan he used to know before she’d lost her sight, who wasn’t afraid of any challenge and who would never, ever quit.
Finally, Susan decided that she was ready to try the trip on her own. Monday morning arrived, and before she left, she threw her arms around Mark, her temporary bus riding companion, her husband, and her best friend. Her eyes filled with tears of gratitude for his loyalty, his patience, his love. She said good-bye, and for the first time, they went their separate ways. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday... Each day on her own went perfectly, and Susan had never felt better. She was doing it! She was going to work all by herself!
On Friday morning, Susan took the bus to work as usual. As she was paying for her fare to exit the bus, the driver said, "Boy, I sure envy you." Susan wasn’t sure if the driver was speaking to her or not. After all, who on earth would ever envy a blind woman who had struggled just to find the courage to live for the past year? Curious, she asked the driver, "Why do you say that you envy me?"
The driver responded, "It must feel so good to be taken care of and protected like you are." Susan had no idea what the driver was talking about, and asked again, "What do you mean?" The driver answered, "You know, every morning for the past week, a fine looking gentleman in a military uniform has been standing across the corner watching you when you get off the bus. He makes sure you cross the street safely and he watches you until you enter your office building. Then he blows you a kiss, gives you a little salute and walks away. You are one lucky lady."
Tears of happiness poured down Susan’s cheeks. For although she couldn’t physically see him, she had always felt Mark’s presence. She was lucky, so lucky, for he had given her a gift more powerful than sight, a gift she didn’t need to see to believe - the gift of love that can bring light where there had been darkness.
God watches over us in just the same way. We may not know He is present. We may not be able to see His face, but He is there nonetheless! Be blessed in this thought: "God Loves You - even when you are not looking."
„« ¡§again and again¡¨ (11 times in Jeremiah; 10 of the 11 times refers to God¡¦s work in sending his prophets to warn the people) = ¡§to rise up early¡¨
Jeremiah rose up early every day to be with God. Before he ever spoke for God, he spent time with God.
In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.
Psalm 5:3 (NIV)
But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.
Psalm 59:16 (NIV)
But I cry to you for help, O LORD; in the morning my prayer comes before you.
Psalm 88:13
Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
Psalm 90:14 (NIV)
I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in your word.
Psalm 119:147 (NIV)
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.
Psalm 143:1 (NIV)
3. Commit to God¡¦s purposes
The people of Jeremiah¡¦s time bore a striking resemblance to today¡¦s culture. The people weren¡¦t committed to much of anything other than satisfying their own desires. In Jeremiah 2, Jeremiah dramatized the futility of such a lifestyle with a bold, sexually explicit metaphor:
You are like a restless female camel, desperate for a male! You are like a wild donkey, sniffing the wind at mating time. Who can restrain your lust? Those who desire you do not even need to search, for you come running to them!
Jeremiah 2:23-24 (NLT)
Doesn¡¦t that metaphor perfectly describe our culture today ¡V people running to and fro, busy with all kinds of activities designed to help them satisfy their own selfish desires? But we¡¦re not camels or donkeys in the rutting season. We¡¦re human beings who are capable of living lives of faith based on our commitment to the purposes of God.
A few verses later, in that very same sermon, Jeremiah reinforced that same point:
First here, then there - you flit from one ally to another asking for help. But your new friends in Egypt will let you down, just as Assyria did before.
Jeremiah 2:36 (NLT)
Eugene Peterson:
Here he holds a mirror up to them, and they see a reflection of a fickle schoolgirl with a crush on the new boy who has just moved in down the street. All aflutter she can think of nothing but seeing him, attracting his attention, getting noticed. When she is jilted by him, she goes after the boy in the next block and the story begins all over again. Giddy and flirtatious, the girl flits from one boy to another, careless of all relationships, concerned only with making an impression, And the boys, of course, are only interested in using her. They deserve each other.
God never intended for his children to live such empty, fruitless lives. He created each one of us for a purpose ¡V to have an intimate, loving relationship with Him. But it is only when I commit my life to God¡¦s purposes rather than my own selfish desires that I¡¦m able to persist and persevere.
¡KYour heavenly Father already knows all your needs, and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.
Matthew 6:32-22 (NLT)
