How Wilt Thou Do In The Swelling Of Jordan?

If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan? - Jeremiah 12:5

    The child of God does not run the race that is set before him in the strength of the flesh, but rather by the strength, grace and faith of the Almighty. It is Christ that shall not fail or be discouraged. Because the Lord Jesus Christ is the strength and object of our faith, we shall not be wearied and discouraged to the point of abandoning all hope and assurance in him and turning to the world. When the slightest temptations continually allure and draw us away from the things of God, and adversity continually and repeatedly drives us to try to find rest and peace in the world and the things of the world, there is great scriptural reason for alarm.

    If running with the footmen in the land of peace (that is a false peace wherein we trusted) is too much for us, how will it be in the swelling of Jordan, when great and mighty temptations assault and then death comes? The Lord Jesus Christ is not in competition with the world. Neither is the believer. The unbeliever and the world are in competition with God. The man without true faith in Christ will become weary with the things of God and ultimately fail.

    The child of God perseveres in faith, continually leaving the world behind. True, the believer has troubles on every side; without are fightings and within are fears. True, the child of God is tempted, tried and tested, and in his own estimation falls many a time. However, at the end of the day it will be revealed that the faithfulness of the Redeemer has caused each child of God to endure to the end in commitment to him and his Gospel.

“Fade, fade, each earthly joy, Jesus is mine!
Break every tender tie, Jesus is mine!
Dark is the wilderness, Earth has no resting place,
Jesus alone can bless, Jesus is mine!”