Finishing Strong

I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith. -2 Cor 4:7

Most of us are good starters but not good finishers. We started it right and we finished it wrong. Finishing is important as starting it. We have seen it in basketball, hockey or in any other games, the most crucial and exciting part is the last two minutes.

The Long Stretch

When we started taking on more responsibilities in the community life we became more excited. The Lord has shown us the greater mission. The first blow of the wind was very strong it carries us to the ends of the earth. We want to do everything. Then comes the real thing in the mission. Reality sets in and we became:

1.    Disappointed – with leaders and situations

2.    Dried Up – with prayer time

3.    Used Up – with work

Mission becomes a work instead of a calling and we do mission because we felt there is a need instead of a call. And so we become tired and slow down in the race.

The Right Spirit

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 says, “Do you not know that the runner in the stadium all run in the race, but only one wins the prize? Run so as to win. Every athlete exercises discipline in every way. They do it to win a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one. Thus I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight as if I were shadowboxing. No, I drive my body and train it, for fear that, after having preached to others, I myself should be disqualified. “

 

We believe that we are called. It is important to always be reminded of that call, to always go back to that fist fervor of love, when we answered the call of God for the mission. Because its so easy to be caught up in situations that will take us away from the very calling that we are commissioned to do.

We get hurt, we get disappointed and wounded and this blurs our purpose of running the race and the tendency is to quit.

St. Paul who run the race to the end, has given us a good example in his letter to the Corinthians. Summing up the message with the following:

1.    Run so as to win – We run not to lose but to win.

2.    Exercise discipline – We must not lower our guard, we must always train ourselves, this race is a marathon. We must always be fit for the race or else we may lose.

3.    Run with the right goals – We do not run aimlessly, we run with a goal. We run with an imperishable crown in mind. If athletes in the Olympics run to win a gold, how much more to us who are running for a far greater than gold?

4.    Fight with Clarity – We don not fight as if we were shadowboxing. This is for real! We must hold on and finished it strong, or else we trained others and we ourselves will be disqualified in the end.

Run the Good Race

Ours is more than any other games, ours is more than any prize, and ours is the prize of Christ himself! We are blessed and we are called. Only those who can finish strong are worthy of the call. Let us compete well, finish the race and keep the faith!

by aats