Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us . . . Hebrews 12:1

My son Luke and I were on the computer a while back when I asked for his password. He answered, "It's 'Keep on.'" I told him that was a great password and he said, "Oh Dad, that's my password for everything."

Keep on. Keep on. Keep on.

For sure he'll change his password now, but I hope he'll never change his perspective. These two words are critical to success in life and in the Christian life. The biblical word is endurance or perseverance--the ability to keep on doing the things you have committed yourself to doing when you feel like it and when you don't. Nothing is more essential to success in the Christian life than perseverance. Faith gets you started; perseverance keeps you going.

This matter of perseverance is so critical to the Christian life that James 1 tells us that above all other human traits, perseverance is the characteristic that God is trying to build into your life and mine. The ability to keep on going. Keep making and keeping the commitments of life.

It's easy to start the race. All kinds of people get up in the morning and put their jogging suit on and begin to run. But when the miles click past and the muscles start to fatigue and life isn't easy anymore, what do they do? What do you do?

It's easy to put on a white dress or a tuxedo and get to the front of the church; everybody knows that. But to have a happening marriage--not for five--but for 15 or 40 years, that takes perseverance!

It's easy to conceive a child and, by comparison, it's easy to birth a child, but to keep on training and raising those kids day in and day out, following through on what you have said and taught--that takes commitment!

Might I say in addition to that, it's easy to pray a prayer and walk an aisle; it's easy to confess faith in Christ. But to keep on following Christ--even when the pressure is on--that takes staying power. "My brothers, consider it pure joy when you fall into various trials knowing that the trying of your faith produces perseverance."

Staying power! Did you know that if God could get that one thing into your life, He could give you everything else? James 1 goes on to say, "But let perseverance have its perfect work that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing" (v.4).

This week we stand on the hinge between two years--2008 and 2009. How will these two years mark your life? Look back on 2008 for a moment. If your year was like mine, you can see some pretty significant peaks and valleys. Praise God for them. Praise God that at this year's end, you can stand before Him in faith and humility and say, "No matter what is behind me, I finish this year strong in Christ." Like Paul in Philippians 3:13-14 "but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" I press on--that's perseverance.

Now look ahead to 2009. You don't know what the year will bring, but you can be sure of this, God is faithful. His mercies will be new every morning of every day of the new year. There's power in the day when you start it with faith in God and a commitment to perseverance.

Keep on--it's a great password for 2009.