Finish Well

"For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro

throughout the whole earth,

to give strong support to those whose heart 

is blameless toward him.

You have done foolishly in this,

for from now on you will have wars."

2 Chronicles 16:9 ESV

I've heard it said that the bigger they are, the harder they fall, and judging by how many celebrities and national leaders crash and burn, it sure seems to be true.  This common saying speaks to the temporal state of our status and how I may be standing at the pinnacle of success today but tomorrow I could be in the gutter.  This is why I must realize that even in God's kingdom, the strongest can fall, the best can fail and the most faithful can doubt.  

Look at Asa, for instance.  He was known for his reliance on the Lord and the resulting peace his kingdom enjoyed (2 Chronicles 14:6).  Then came the end.  The last five years of his 41-year-reign were riddled with acts of foolishness never before seen in his life.  He relied on man, grew angry at God's prophet and punished his people for his own failings.  How could a faith so strong fall so hard?

Because of Asa's example, it is important that I keep striving, never resting on on my spiritual laurels and thinking that I'm standing on solid ground and could never waver or stumble.  I must stay faithful so I can finish well.

God First.  There are so many resources in this technologically-driven era.  If I have a problem, all sorts of solutions are at my fingertips.  When trouble comes my way, there are dozens of readily-available testimonials of others who have experienced what I am going through.  If I need advice, there is plenty out there, waiting to be dispensed at the click of a mouse or touch of a finger.

Since all of this wealth of information is in my face, constantly on my radar, it's easy to turn to the obvious channels for advice or guidance.  If I am to stay faithful to God, however, I must put Him first, thinking of Him as my go-to resource.  When I do so, He will show me His will for my life and guide me down the path that leads to life (Jeremiah 29:13, Psalm 23:1-3).

If I want to stay faithful so I will finish well, I must rely on God as my go-to resource.

Self Last.  I heard the stories for years, tales of adventure, hardship and toil.  My dad often strolled down memory lane, telling me how his older brothers would take advantage of his innocence, playing tricks on him and using him for their own amusement.  I often felt sorry for my dad, thinking of him as the little bother picked on by his cruel brothers.  I did, that is, until I talked to my uncle and heard another version of those familiar stories.  My dad wasn't always as innocent as he made himself out to be.

It's funny how I do the same as my dad, often painting myself in the best light and failing to see the part I played in a certain memory.  This practice is common to the human experience and is why I can't trust my own assessment of myself; it will always be swayed in my favor.

If I want to know the truth about the state of my heart, I must ask God to show me (Psalm 139:23-24).  He will let me know where I am off and how my reasoning is faulty.  I simply can't trust my own way of thinking or sense of judgement.  If I use my own standard to gauge my behavior, I will usually come out smelling like a rose.  Or I will cut myself a break, knowing the obstacles I face.  Or I will see myself worse than I really am.  In every case, my judgement can't be trusted.

If I want to stay faithful so I will finish well, I will have to place my own assessment of myself on the back burner.

Heart Whole.  I can say I want to know God, that He is my greatest pursuit, but my heart could tell a different story.  I could claim that it is His opinion of me that matter most, until I realize how devastated I am when a friend is disappointed in me.  I might think I can't live without the Lord, but I rarely spend more than a few minutes reading His Word or sitting in His presence.

In order to stay true to the Lord, it is important that I wholly commit myself to loving Him.  The moment another pursuit takes precedence over Him, my heart has been corrupted and I end up following a different path that leads to destruction.  

I can get distracted by my desire to defend and uphold my reputation, making that more important than what God has for me in a certain difficult circumstance.  Or I could begin to run after success, desiring accomplishments more than God's will for my life.  Or I could seek vindication, wanting a sense of justice I think will come when I get back at those who hurt me more than I want to stay in right relationship with the God who loves me and has promised to protect me.

If I want to stay faithful so I will finish well, I will have to maintain a wholehearted commitment to loving God (Romans 12:1).

It's true that the more successful one is, the further they have to fall.  In God's kingdom, my enemy is always at work attempting to steal my faith so that I will forget what is important.  In this way I am at risk of falling in my faithfulness to God.  Therefore, it is important that I keep God always as my first line of defense, placing my own opinions and reasoning behind God's, and maintaining a wholehearted commitment to loving Him.  In these ways I will be able to finish well.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can keep my eyes on Jesus, especially when I am tempted to trust my own line of thinking.

How do I go to other resources before I even think about God?

When am I guilty of cheating on God in my relationship with Him?