Finish What You Start

FINISH WHAT YOU START

     For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  Finally there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. II Timothy 3:6-8

The Christian life is often compared to athletic competition.  In  I Corinthians 9:24-27 Paul alludes to the Greek games of his day.  Competitions were often about running in some way.  He teaches that only one will win a race, but in the Christian race we can all be winners.  In the passage from II Timothy 3, Paul said that he fought the good fight and finished the race.  He had the confidence that his life had been lived in the will of God and he could look forward to the crown of righteousness...eternal life.

Another reference to the Greek games can be found in Hebrews 12.  The writer begins with the words… “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses;”

Those witnesses are spoken of in Hebrews 11.  Men and women of great faith in God and faithfulness to His will are named or alluded to.  Men like Abel, Enoch, Noah and Abraham.  Women like Sarah and Rahab.  These  examples were given to encourage the church that your burdens in life are no more difficult to bear than were theirs.  The writer goes on in Hebrews 12:1-2 “let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Those faithful of old, along with Paul, Jesus and numberless others all finished what they started in their journey toward heaven.   Will you finish what you started in the Christian race?