When life gets too hard, we quit.  When someone hurts our feelings, mocks us or ignores us, we quit, sulk and walk away.  When our work becomes too challenging, requiring more learning, we quit to find a work that is easier.  When a spouse doesn’t please or “meet our needs”, we quit working on the relationship and turn to someone else who we think will make us happier.  When a restaurant serves us in a manner that displeases us, we quit going there.  No second chances from us to be had! When someone betrays us, we hold a grudge and ban them from our lives forever. When someone gets angry at us and tells us their love for us is over, we quit loving them and everyone else like them.  Quitting for humans in a world that tells us to “have our own way” is easy and even acceptable. 

Quitting is our mantra–unless we know the God who never quits and never gives up on us!

David’s psalm offers high praise to the God who never quits!  Let’s read this passage over and over until we can list all the ways God never quits!  This is a great exercise for us.  If we really believe that what we believe about God is really real, we will want to be who He wants to be and do what He wants us to do.  Jesus, God’ Son, came to earth to show us God’s never quitting love, mercy and grace.  Jesus, the supreme example of never quitting until our lives were redeemed, taught us how to live a never quitting life of love.  Like the prophet of God Micah repeated from God Himself, we are required to live this life “doing what is right, loving mercy, while walking humbly with our God.” (Micah 6:8, paraphrased.)  There is no mention in God’s Word that states we are to quit loving or doing what is right while walking with God.

In fact, for further clarification, Paul writes, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”  (Galatians 6:9) That “harvest” describes lost people, seekers of hope, who need help finding and following Jesus, the Source of everlasting, never quitting love, hope, peace in good times and bad, mercy and grace.  Jesus invites us to His work to tell His story while pointing the “harvest” of souls to Him to be saved from death. 

God never quits.  “God, you’re the one, there’s no one but you!”

“O God, are both tender and kind, not easily angered, immense in love, and you never, never quit.”  Thank you. 

Worship and Wisdom, Psalms and Proverbs

Psalm 86, The Message

A David Psalm

86 ^1-7 Bend an ear, God; answer me.
    I’m one miserable wretch!
Keep me safe—haven’t I lived a good life?
    Help your servant—I’m depending on you!
You’re my God; have mercy on me.
    I count on you from morning to night.
Give your servant a happy life;
    I put myself in your hands!
You’re well-known as good and forgiving,
    bighearted to all who ask for help.
Pay attention, God, to my prayer;
    bend down and listen to my cry for help.
Every time I’m in trouble I call on you,
    confident that you’ll answer.

^8-10 There’s no one quite like you among the gods, O Lord,
    and nothing to compare with your works.
All the nations you made are on their way,
    ready to give honor to you, O Lord,
Ready to put your beauty on display,
    parading your greatness,
And the great things you do—
    God, you’re the one, there’s no one but you!

^11-17 Train me, God, to walk straight;
    then I’ll follow your true path.
Put me together, one heart and mind;
    then, undivided, I’ll worship in joyful fear.
From the bottom of my heart I thank you, dear Lord;
    I’ve never kept secret what you’re up to.
You’ve always been great toward me—what love!
    You snatched me from the brink of disaster!
God, these bullies have reared their heads!
    A gang of thugs is after me—
    and they don’t care a thing about you.
But you, O God, are both tender and kind,
    not easily angered, immense in love,
    and you never, never quit.
So look me in the eye and show kindness,
    give your servant the strength to go on,
    save your dear, dear child!
Make a show of how much you love me
    so the bullies who hate me will stand there slack-jawed,
As you, God, gently and powerfully
    put me back on my feet.

TRUTH:  Our Father in Heaven never quits.  He never quits loving us, being with us, protecting us, providing for us and teaching us.  God is always at work in those who love Him back.  Love God.  Love like He loves us.

Proverb 26:13-15, The Message

Loafers say, “It’s dangerous out there!
    Tigers are prowling the streets!”
    and then pull the covers back over their heads.

¹⁴ Just as a door turns on its hinges,
    so a lazybones turns back over in bed.

¹⁵ A shiftless sluggard puts his fork in the pie,
    but is too lazy to lift it to his mouth.

WISDOM:  Loafers quit, run and hide.  Believers never quit and run to the battle that God is fighting for us and with us.

Abba Father,

O Lord, I am so glad you never gave up on me.  Your love is amazing, relentless and unchanging in depth and breadth.  I fall and you are always there to snatch me from the fire that could burn me forever.  Always is a good word in our language to describe you.  You always love, even when we feel unlovable.  You always protect.  You always show us mercy and kindness.  You always provide just what we need before we know we need it.  Thank you, Lord.  Continue to work on me and teach me to never quit loving and showing mercy.

In Jesus Name, Amen

And we’re singing…

Oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go
In every high and every low
Oh no, You never let go
Lord, You never let go of me…