"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)
