Finish Well

"And now,

compelled by the Spirit,

I am going to Jerusalem,

not knowing what will happen to me there.

I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me

that prison and hardships are facing me.

However,

I consider my life worth nothing to me,

if only I may finish the race

and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--

the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace."

Acts 20:22-24

I remember a friend of mine saying to herself, "Run it through the finish line, Holly" as a way to encourage herself to keep going and to not give up.  There's so much wisdom in this sermon-to-self.

Life is hard and its oh-so-easy to give up living for Jesus.  It is then that I need to hear, "Keep it up!  Run strong through to the end." (James 12:1-2)

The world is evil and the darkness feels overwhelming.  It sometimes seems like Evil is winning.  It is then that I need to hear, "Stand firm!  Jesus has overcome the world!"  (John 16:33)

Sometimes it seems I keep falling into the same sin over and over again.  I may ask myself, what's the use?  I'll just fail again.  It is then that I need to hear that Jesus gives me power over sin and death and that His grace is sufficient to propel me forward, into the light.  (1 Corinthians 15:56-58) 

As I prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus, it is my intention to keep in mind His reason for coming to the earth He created: To save sinners.  As a sinner saved by His grace, it is for the joy set before me that I can persevere and run it through the finish line, knowing that Jesus will complete what He started in my life, no matter what I feel or how things look. (Philippians 1:6)

My call is to finish well!  (Hebrews 12:1-2)