Birthdays come and go. Some are considered milestones like when a teenager turns sixteen and get their driver's license. Some lament turning forty. They bemoan the fact that they are no longer young, but labeled middle aged. Sixty-five is another big one as people reach the age of retirement. I am no longer in my fifties, but made the jump to the sixties. I guess that means I'm officially classified as a senior adult.
The night before I turned sixty, I told Brenda about my plan. I routinely get up early to ride the Peloton bike my sons got me for Christmas. Those rides range from six miles to over twenty miles. I told Brenda that night to celebrate my birthday I was going to ride thirty miles. I have ridden my road bike further. I once rode it fifty miles and one hundred miles. Not on the Peloton. Twenty-three miles was my record. I wanted to break it just to show that at sixty I am not washed up. That I could push myself to do hard things.
I am not going to say it was easy. Especially not on my bottom. It took awhile to complete. When it was all said and done, I made the thirty miles plus five more. Puddles of sweat formed under the handlebars on the floor. My clothes were just as soaked as if I stood in the shower wearing them. My legs were shaky when I dismounted.
Why such a feat? I like to challenge my mind and body to do hard things. We live in a society where most things are easy and convenient. We push a button on our phone to order food, remote start a vehicle, lock doors, and even turn the lights off and on. We have gone past pushing buttons on a remote control. We can just speak what we want to watch and the television will go to that program or movie.
Living with such luxury makes us soft. Doing hard things makes us tougher. Mark my words. One day all this technology is going to fail us. Those dependent on their cell phones will be horrified one day to realize cell towers have been shut down and nobody has cell service anymore. One day all our entertainment devices will be disabled and the only programming we have access to will be a one world government propaganda to brainwash. To get us to conform and renounce our Christianity people will be forced to accept the mark of the beast, which the Bible forbids any Christian to do. Many will go along to get along. They will do whatever is required to save their hides. Devout believers will die violent martyr's deaths refusing to renounce Christ. Hard times are coming. I see signs of it everywhere.
Our soft churches are not prepared for such times. When persecution really starts, will the mega churches still be filled? Will our churches still have people show up? There are many parts of the world where serving Jesus is costly. These followers of Jesus understand persecution in a way most of us have never experienced. How will American Christians respond when they are arrested, tortured, and killed? None of us knows. It is my belief that we very well may live long enough to find out.
Faithful followers of Jesus have lived hard in gospel hardened places. They have a rock hard faith that is not easily shaken. They are steadfast in their commitment. They are resolute in their determination to be faithful to the very end no matter what it costs. Contrast that with people who wake up and opt not to go to worship because it is raining. Contrast that with those who bow to the idol of family and use them as an excuse for not being fully devoted to Jesus. Hard decisions are coming for American Christians. Hard decisions that require hard faith and conviction. Will this wishy washy church age stand firm when that time comes? Time will tell.
