Finish Well!

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2 Timothy 4:6 "For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing."

 As Paul closes his letter to his protege Timothy, he summarizes where he is at in his own life as a believer.  Paul is passing on the baton of leadership to Timothy and he realizes he is in the last stretch of the race.  Paul has used the imagery of a race before to emphasize the Christian life, and he uses it again here.  In the Greek Olympics the winner of the race was a given a crown of flowers to celebrate their victory.  

 Paul focused on winning the race for Christ the moment Jesus presonally called him and set him apart to be His apostle.  Since that moment Paul maintained a single-minded focus to offer himself as a living sacrifice in view of God's mercy (Romans 12:1-2).  Even when others tried to knock him out of the race, he did never gave up.  Currently in this letter he is in prison and not even that is stopping him from preaching the gospel.  

 I am sure there were many quitting points Paul faced in his life as the chief apostle of the early church. He faced opposition from within and without, and was a surely target of the enemy. Paul even showed that in his weakness, he was able to show he was strength through Christ.  He boasted in his weaknesses if they would more clearly point to Jesus and his work on behalf of sinners.  Paul called himself the "chief of sinners" and helped us to realize that it is only as we realize who we are in Christ we can face any trial life brings us. 

 Where are you at in the race?  Just starting?  In the middle and feeling good?  Burnt out and ready to quit?  Dehyrdated and in need of spiritual nourishment?  Nearing the finish line and eagerly awaiting the crown reserved for those who have been faithful to Jesus unto death?  

 In some ways it doesn't really matter where you are in the race, the question is will you stay in race keeping your eyes on Jesus the author and perfector of your faith?  Will you keep training picking up your cross each day and following Jesus?  Will you remember one of the greatest promises in the bible, "He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it!" 

 Keep on running my friends!

   

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