Tenacity
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First published in December 1993
“During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw Him walking on the late, they were terrified. ‘It’s a ghost,’ they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.’
“’Lord, if it is you,’ Peter replied, ‘tell me to come to you on the water.’ ‘Come,’ He said.
“Then Peter got down out of the boat and walked on the water to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and caught him, ‘You of little faith,’ He said, ‘why did you doubt?’” Matthew 14:25-31.
Peter, Peter, Peter. Once again he blew it and disappointed Jesus. Surely this would be the last screw up Jesus would tolerate. How much more could He tolerate? Who would have believed that Jesus would later say to Peter (and only two chapters later): “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. Matthew 16:17-18.
This characteristic of Jesus is tenacity—the belief in someone to stick it out despite everything. It is what is referred to throughout the Bible. “Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you or forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6. “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet My unfailing love for you will not be removed, yet My unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor My covenant of peace be removed,’ says the Lord, who has compassion on you.’ Isaiah 54:10. “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you. Hebrews 13:5.
While these words comfort many people, including me, they are also foreign to many. They are beyond comprehension to many teenagers who have felt they have failed God one too many times. They feel there is no way God can forgive such and such. They feel they have crossed that line where they can no longer have a relationship with their Father.
I am presently working with a particular teenager. And of all verses in the Bible she has chosen to memorize—and quote to me time and time again—is Hebrews 6:4-6. “It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting Him to public disgrace.” She sees this and feels she has crossed the line. She has done too much. She has asked forgiveness over and over again. And no matter what I say to her (so far) she can’t understand that God still loves her—that that line has not been crossed because of the tenacity of God. She is not so depraved (no more than you or I) that Hebrews 6:4-6 applies to her. Yes, she has screwed up but God’s forgiveness is there for the taking. He has not left her or forsaken her. Yet in her eyes He has.
It is so frustrating!!!! I want to shake her and say, “Yes, God loves you still. He still wants a relationship with you!” I wish I could open her rib cage and shove these words in her heart.
Tenacity is a characteristic of God that many have trouble understanding these days. Marriages don’t last forever. Friends betray friends. Those in leadership fail. In the same way of thinking, certainly God is not true to His word since they have failed God in their relationship with Him.
And when we preach the faithfulness and unconditional love of God, these youth sit in their chairs agreeing on the outside but dying inside because they know that those words certainly cannot be true for them.
It is so frustrating!!!! Yet we must continue to preach the tenacity of God and we must continue to live it because we are the representation of God to these youths.
This puts the pressure on us. But it will be no pressure at all if our lives are ones of integrity. If we live our lives making the right choices (integrity) then our lives will not be another failed relationship, our actions will be genuine, and when we preach on the tenacity of God, our lives back it up.
We need to have a tenacious love towards our teenagers. They may not see it anywhere else.
If I can continue to have this tenacious love (balanced with the correct discipline I need to give her which is also love), one day Amanda will understand and be set free from the guilt that condemns her.
Update from 2011: Another way to expose teens to such tenacity is the church family you are surrounded by. Introduce them to those older cradle-to-old-age Christians. Let them share their uninteresting stories of God’s faithfulness—stories which will be very interesting to the teens. Invite them to share tenacious love.
Much is written and studies about the affinity the grandparent generation and the teen generation have for each other. One of the reasons is that teens need to see that everything works out in the end. You’ve got a church family at your disposal to be this great resource.
