On the horizon | Never give up

These words are very powerful, but who made them famous?

It was Winston Churchill, the famous former UK prime minister, and he was speaking during World War II.

He actually said “never give in, never, never, never, never” — same sentiment though!

There was a woman in the Bible in Luke 18, they call her “the persistent widow”. She kept praying and kept asking a judge (who was ignoring her) for justice for her family and to get help for them. Some would call it nagging, but she kept on bothering him and he gave her justice against her adversary.

God said he would give you answers if you were persistent in prayer, just like the judge.

Another story is about another woman, who was crying out for her daughter’s healing. She was also being put off, so she appealed and said “even the dogs eat the crumbs from under the master’s table”. She was saying have pity on me and I beg you, I am more than a dog?

Then Jesus said, “Woman, you have great faith, your request is granted.” Her daughter was healed that very hour.

So, what are these stories saying to us? Never, never, never give up.

What if these two women had given up? They wouldn’t have had the healings they sought. Because giving up is easy; never giving up is faith.

God never gives up on us either. In Luke 15 he left 99 sheep and went after one lost sheep, because the one sheep was an important to him as the 99.

Also, he welcomed back the son who had lost his way when the son he asked his dad to forgive him from all his floundering. The dad didn’t hold a grudge, but forgave him. He never gave up on the wayward son.

So easy lesson here: Never, never, never give up on those you are praying and caring for, because God answers faithful prayers and cares about you.

Liz Spicer

Kyabram P-12 College chaplain