Just trudging along.

Ecclesiastes 9:11

I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

I had a rather long day today. I began my work at 5:15 AM and finished around 7:10 PM. During that time, I delivered my company's product to 18 stores. Parts of the day seemed to go swiftly. Other parts dragged on for eternity. 

But, the bottom line was that my job needed to be done and I was the only one available today to do it. So, when it felt as if the day was never going to end, I simply kept on going. I worked one store at a time until they were all done. 

Why does this matter? 

Think of it as an allegory to our walk with God and our time on earth. 

We are all here for a purpose. A purpose designed by our creator to accomplish. A purpose that only we can accomplish (with God's help, of course). 

So, how do we do it? How do we finish our race and accomplish what he desires for us? 

One step at a time. One task at a time. One day at a time. 

Think of Noah. Noah was 500 years young when the Lord spoke to him (and him alone) and ordered him to build a ship so large that it's dimensions couldn't be matched until the 20th century. 

We are never told that God spoke to him again until he was about to destroy the earth. 

This occurred when he was 600 years old. 

Noah endured 100 years of waiting. 100 years of backbreaking work. 100 years of pain, confusion, doubt, and mockery. 

Yet, he still continued on. One log at a time. One bucket of pitch at a time. One broken saw at a time. 

How frustrated did he get? We're not told. Whatever his attitude in the ensuing 100 years, he got the job done. 

Peter calls him a "preacher of righteousness." (2 Peter 2:5) Yet, we are never told of a single word he preached. 

Did he ever verbally preach? Probably. But, his greatest sermon was his life. He stayed the course. He finished his God-given project. One step at a time. 

A lesson we should all learn. Whether or not anyone outside our families ever know our name, we are to keep on keeping on. 

When times are good? Keep serving Jesus. In bad times? Keep serving Jesus. 

The greatest sermon we will ever utter, is the witness of our lives being lived for Jesus. Through the good and the bad. 

Just keep trudging along, and one day, a brave new world will open up to us. One day, the storm will be over and we will exit the boat to celebrate the future. 

Till then, lets just keep trudging along. One prayer at a time. One task at a time. Before we know it, we will be caught up with him in the sky- forever changed. 

As the old cartoon song once said, "Put one foot in front of the other..." The results will amaze us!