Finish Well

"Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us," (Heb. 12:1)

God's Word compares living the Christian life to running a race, a marathon, however, not a sprint. We know all too well that not everyone who begins the race ends well. Jesus once described the sowing of the seed of God's Word in a parable of a variety of soils. Some seed fell on the path that was hardened from travelers passing over it. The seed never penetrated that soil. Other seed fell on ground that was shallow with rocks just under the surface. It sprang up quickly but had no depth for its roots and soon died. Other fell on thorny ground, where it was eventually choked out by the cares of this world, He said. Some managed, however, to fall on good soil where it sprang up and bore fruit for the Kingdom.

Our mistake in the modern church is thinking we are the good soil. So let me just ask, how are you doing in running life's race? It is not so much how you start as how you finish that makes the difference. Consider a man named Demas. We first are introduced to him in Philemon 24 where Paul describes him as a fellow servant. The book of Colossians, written at a later day desribes him simply as Demas. No superlatives or accolades to accompany his mention. Once a fellow servant, a leader among believers, now just a part of the pack. The real tragedy of his life is mentioned when we get to 2 Timothy 4:10 where Paul informs us that Demas "in love with this present world, has deserted me."

How will you finish? You may have started with great joy and progressed through years of hard work in the Kingdom, but how will you finish? The race can be hard and long. Life often surprises us along the way. Will you finish well? Paul said that he finished the race, he fought a good fight. Will you be able to say that. Live so that when you face God, He will say, "Well done good and faithful servant."