We Need Encouragement

That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
(Philippians 3:10-14)

Thought For Today:

Warning! This read is not for the faint of heart. One of the most challenging things I've ever done in my life is to travel by motorcycle across the United States. What may seem like a piece of cake can turn out to be a very demanding task, with challenges including preparation before the trip and endurance during it. Before embarking on a 6,000-mile ride, I have to prepare myself. I call it "Pre-Riding". This is when my wife and I ride about 400 miles to have lunch somewhere and return home before it gets dark. We pre-ride numerous times before setting out on a 6,000-mile trip. Another challenge is packing our clothes and necessities in a way that compensates for the lack of space on a motorcycle. Traveling at least 600 miles a day and sitting in one spot is quite challenging. But the main thing you need for a long motorcycle journey is enthusiasm and encouragement. My wife and I have learned to encourage one another as we travel. It's an exciting experience but can also be a challenging one. Supporting one another is key to making it back home safely. Let me share a couple of challenging moments where my wife encouraged me.

I remember riding from Leadville, Colorado, when my body temperature dropped to the point of having uncontrollable tremors. We were on our way to Santa Fe, New Mexico, and we had no safe place to stop and warm up. I remember watching the mileage slowly wind down as we finally reached our destination. A little coffee and we were back on the road. I can think of times when simply failing to make a simple gear shift, at the right time, while traversing steep mountain switchbacks could result in a motorcycle crash. I can still recall riding 580 miles in a non-stop downpour of rain. We have always prayed together and talked our way through it. Most of our close-call experiences are never talked about with the public, but aside from that, there is no feeling like returning home and knowing that we have accomplished something that most people will never experience. We always succeed because God is with us. The same is true in our Christian life. Perhaps that's why the prophets and the rulers of the synagogue sent unto Paul and Silas, saying, "Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on" (Acts 13:15). We all can use a little encouragement on this journey at times. Paul makes mention of the many times he was encouraged by letters he received about the works he had established. So let me encourage you today. As you keep pressing on toward the mark of the prize, stay focused on where you are heading and purpose within yourself that you will cross the finishing line. And also encourage those around you to keep going on in this journey. We need each other to make it to heaven.