I have met so many people who like the beginnings of things, but not the middles and ends of things. We are a people that love the next new thing. We love new toys, new jobs, new cars, new homes, new programs…and the list could go on. However, when the newness fades (and it will), what is demanded is faithfulness.

I’m not against newness. In fact, we are declared new creatures in Christ (cf. 2 Cor. 5:17). However, what I am against are fickle Christians who are only interested in the excitement of newness and not in faithfulness to the mission. We are in desperate need of Christians who will start AND finish the tasks assigned to them…Christians who are in it for the long run, even when the newness fades.

Yesterday I had the privilege of visiting with a couple who’ve been married for 55 years. Let that number sink in for a moment…55 years. This couple has been married for over half a century! They have witnessed so much life together…all the joys, all the sorrows, all the ups and downs, all the changes and transitions of life…they have faithfully walked through this life together for 55 years. You know there is so much power in their faithfulness. It’s as if there 55 years of marriage is a trump card. They could say anything at this point and I would be at their mercy…”the earth is flat and monkeys swim in the ocean…I know this because I’ve been married for 55 years.” This is an extreme, nonsensical illustration, but my point is that longevity (i.e. faithfulness) yields so much power! Faithfulness to one’s spouse, career, family, beliefs, etc. is a living, breathing, powerful sermon that no amount of youthful passion on my part can replace. We so need faithful Christians because the newness will fade. This, my friends, is a fact.

Galatians 6:9 puts it this way, “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” Prairie Flower, don’t you ever give up. Don’t you ever give up on your marriage, your family, your passions, or your church. Life has a way of draining us of our excitement for service, and when newness gives birth to oldness, it becomes even easier to give up and throw in the towel. However, we have been called to a marathon life, not a quick sprint. Don’t lose heart my brothers and sisters. The promise is crystal clear in this verse, namely, “…we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”

When the newness fades…will you stay faithful?