June 24, 2025 -- Proverbs 24:10-12 -- If you faint in the day of adversity...

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If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.
Rescue those who are being taken away to death;
hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.
If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,”
does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?
Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it,
and will he not repay man according to his work?
Proverbs 24:10-12 ESV
 
What would make you faint in the day of adversity? It might be your abhorrence of the types and categories of other people’s sins, so repugnant they are you’re losing courage and getting squeamish in the God-ordained task of rescuing sinners from their captivity to hell. You might even justify it, saying to yourself such perverts, sinners, blasphemers and wicked persons ought to die. Imagine for a minute that one week’s worth of your life, your secret thoughts, your private cravings and lusts were publicly exposed. You would, I hope, blush at the very thought of it. Perhaps not. And that is in fact your problem. It explains why Christians do not evangelize with vigor and fervor, because they don’t really think their sins stink to high heaven. If you, dear Christian, would even briefly acknowledge your own unworthiness to receive God’s mercy, and then contemplate the extravagant mercies of God endlessly poured out on you in Christ, then you would, with strength and vigor, run after others who are perishing and declare the banquet table of the LORD’s mercies is spread for them, even as it is for you.
 
Dear fellow Christian, please be honest. You know who is stumbling to the day of slaughter. You know those who are sinning unto death with no hope of a Savior. You also know how rarely you row out a rescue boat and how infrequently you throw a life-saving ring. It is easy for Christians who are saved to leave their biases unexamined. They pick and choose who is worthy of life and who isn’t. It doesn’t work that way. God will rescue all who are appointed for life, but he weighs the heart and perceives the hard-hearted, who having received mercy himself, refuse to extend the mercy of God to those who are perishing. The LORD is keeping watch over your soul—are you with you all your strength, no matter the adversity, no matter the scorn of others, rescuing those who are being taken away to death?
 
Precious Jesus, thank You for Your lovingkindness expressed in this wide-reaching invitation: “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart and your will find rest for your souls.” Spirit of God, teach us to be ambassadors of Christ and in His Name to go, with urgency and strength, after all who need to learn of our Savior’s love. Father in heaven, blessed are You, for You, in love and mercy, have appointed many for salvation and life in Jesus’ Name. Forgive us for fields unwon, forgive us for work undone, forgive us for the times we have decided who we think are sheep and who are goats unworthy of Your love. We thank You, Triune God, that safe within the fold of Jesus, there are ten thousand upon ten thousand reasons for us to admire You and love You more. Amen.
Quotation in the prayer, Matthew 11:28-29 ESV
 
https://youtu.be/slQ6MTJLU4I?si=agtcsZK2DI41_L9X Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy
 

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