November 15

Never Despair

Rise, let us go. See, My betrayer is approaching! — Mark 14:42 BSB

There is a note of hope in this call. The disciples had failed in a great duty—they had fallen asleep when the Master asked them to watch with Him. Jesus had just told them to sleep on because the time for them to keep watch was gone. They had missed their opportunity forever. Yet, other duties lay ahead of them, and Jesus now calls them to rise and face these. Even though they failed in one responsibility, they should not sink into despair. They needed to rouse themselves for the new task at hand.

The lesson is plain. When we fail in one duty, we should not give in to despair. If a young person has wasted their youth, they must not lose hope and think all is lost. Other opportunities still await. The loss of youth is irreparable. The golden years of youth can never be regained. The innocence, beauty, and strength of those years are gone forever. But why should we waste all of life just because we have wasted the best part of it? Why should the whole day be lost simply because the morning was thrown away?

This lesson is for everyone who has failed in any way. Christ always offers hope. He calls us to rise again from our worst defeats. In God’s kingdom of grace, there is always room to start over and build a noble life. Even to the very end of life, this remains true. The door of opportunity was opened to the penitent thief on the cross in his dying hour. There was no time left for him to live a good or beautiful life on earth, except for his final confession and testimony. But the eternity he entered into is very long, with plenty of time for a glorious career. In this world, blessed by divine love and grace, there is never a reason for despair. After any failure or defeat, Christ’s call is still, “Rise up, let us go.”