Faithfulness - Over the Long Haul

Just finished reading a newsletter from a church I served many years ago.

Along with new names I've never known, lots of old names still working, serving, loving and sustaining, and their children, too.

Commitment, faithfulness - can these words mean anything less than the Long Haul?

I don't think so ... anything less than the Long Haul is likely to be at our pleasure or discretion. The Long Haul requires something bigger than momentary interests or personal desires.

As I read the note, I felt a great sense of gratitude well up within me. After all, I know some of these stories, and I know that servering over the Long Haul isn't always easy, and not always rewarding. But these servants of the Lord have discovered one of the great secrets of life - giving is always in season, even when it isn't.

And in such serving, the soul is shaped into something grand.

The image of Christ.