MAY 8, 2025

 “Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in, except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force. Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.” 

― Winston S. Churchill, Never Give In!: The Best of Winston Churchill's Speeches

1 KINGS 16-18

36At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: “Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. 37Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.”38Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.39When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!” (18:36-39)

JOHN 1:29-51

 35The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”37When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?”They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”39“Come,” he replied, “and you will see.”So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.40Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). 42And he brought him to Jesus.Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter^g ).

JOURNAL

What a scene. Elijah stands alone on Mount Carmel, the only one still proclaiming the name of the Lord in a land drowning in idolatry. And with one prayer, fire falls from heaven and consumes everything—sacrifice, wood, stones, even water (1 Kings 18:36–38). It was God’s undeniable power on display. And the people could no longer deny it. They fell on their faces and cried out, “The Lord—he is God!” (v. 39).

And I see a similar moment in John 1. This time there’s no fire or thunder. Just a quiet recognition. John the Baptist points to Jesus and says, “Look, the Lamb of God!” (John 1:36). That’s all it takes. Two disciples turn and follow. Jesus doesn’t perform a miracle or give a sermon. He simply asks, “What do you want?” (v. 38). And then, “Come and see” (v. 39).

And what they saw changed everything. So much so that Andrew ran to find his brother, Simon, and told him, “We’ve found the Messiah” (v. 41). Jesus meets Simon and immediately speaks purpose into his life: “You are Simon… you will be called Peter” (v. 42). Before Peter had done anything great or heroic, Jesus knew him. Called him. Renamed him. That’s the power of being seen by God.

That truth hits home: God knows me. He sees who I am and what I can become—not in theory, but with divine intent. Like Elijah, like Peter, we are known by name and called with purpose.

But to be honest—it’s easy to forget that. Teaching and coaching, for example, can drain me. It’s not the physical part that wears me down—it’s the constant engagement with 200 middle schoolers that sometimes pulls at my soul. Yet even in the hardest days, God gives me glimpses of joy, of purpose, of calling. And that joy is what keeps me going.

The struggle creeps in when I start comparing. Our culture ties value to compensation, as if a paycheck measures your worth. But I’ve lived that life—earning more in roles that felt hollow. The money was nice in the moment, but the fulfillment never came. It faded fast, and I was left empty.

But Scripture centers me again. I’m not here for the money—I’m here to glorify God with what I’ve been given. That’s where the joy is found. That’s what resets my heart. When I remember that, I stop measuring my life against others and start living fully in mine. The opposite can also be true...I believe I could have found joy and purpose in my old career...problem was that I was not centered and grounded in his spirit. 

Because the things that bring true joy? They’re usually the hardest things. They stretch us. They lead us to the end of our abilities. They push us into dependence on God. And yes, on the outside it can seem unfair or exhausting—but on the inside, it’s exactly where God wants us. In that tension, in that stretching, God molds us into something new. Into light-bearers. Kingdom-builders. Outposts of His heart.

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." 

JOHN 16:33