Keep on Keeping on

When I went to my grandfather, “Pop”, with a problem there was one phrase he would always say as he kind of turned his head to one side and grinned, “dear, just keep on keeping on” and everything will be alright. We used to sing a song that said “You’ve got to keep on holding on,” it tells of the righteous man Daniel who continued to “keep on holding on” by praying three times a day after the King signed the order stating that no one should pray or ask a request of any god or mortal except the King. If anyone dare disobey they would be thrown in to the lions den! Daniel 6:10 “When Daniel learned that the decree had been signed and posted, he continued to pray just as he had always done. His house had windows in the upstairs that opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he knelt there in prayer, thanking and praising his God.” We know the story of how he was thrown into the lion’s den to be torn apart and eaten, but God sent an angel that shut their mouths for the whole night! Daniel “kept on holding on”.  Then we sang about Jonah being down in the belly of the “whale” when he began to pray. Think about being inside that fish for three days, stomach acid eating away at his flesh and yet he “kept on” praying and was finally delivered! What about Paul and Silas in the jail? They were waiting to be beaten or put to death but instead of being afraid they started to sing “Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs” when suddenly there was a great earthquake that shook the jail and freed them from their chains! The soldier that was guarding them was stunned, he turned to them and asked what he must do to be saved, the answer came in Acts 16:31 “Put your entire trust in the Master Jesus. Then you’ll live as you were meant to live—and everyone in your house included!” I would think it was hard to “keep on keeping on” when your wrists and ankles in chains, wouldn’t you? When we are born, we start a learning process from the moment we open our eyes, vision blurred by whatever that stuff is they put in them at birth! We learn to distinguish faces, numbers, letters, colors, and we learn right from wrong, quickly. We get an education and join the work force. All the things we do in life make up a detailed Pageant, the story of our life. When it comes time to lay me down to sleep, the final curtain falls and what we have done stands in eternity as a witness for, or against, us. I have heard people say “I want to make my own mistakes” and to that I say rubbish! If I can learn from another I want to do it so I might do more with less regret. I want to give back to those who have helped me and I want to pay it forward by helping someone else.

At the end of my life will there be people that will care enough to stand by me? Have I done my best to learn and teach? Will I be able to stand before the Great White Throne on Judgment Day knowing my name will be found in the Book of Life? Will I hear Him say, Matthew 25:23  ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

I know I will never be as courageous as Daniel, Jonah or Paul and Silas but I will know I   have done my best if I can keep on keeping on, thanks Pop!