Finishing the Race Well

Finishing the Race Well

What do you want to be said of you when you die? What accomplishments or accolades, were they spoken of you in the years after, would make you proud if you could hear them?

Today, we read Paul’s final words to Timothy. The urgency that Paul has been trying to convey in this letter to proclaim the Gospel partially exists because he was very aware that he was experiencing some of his final moments and that it was time for him to pass on the button. His life was being poured out as a drink offering, and he understood that he was a warrior getting ready to be sent home.

Paul’s whole life was a sacrificial offering to God. He fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith.

You have the choice of what you dedicate your life to—such as supporting political parties, seeking out financial prosperity, or pursuing higher education. But we’re reminded today that there is only one fight that ultimately matters and that deserves our whole lives: the cause of Christ.

Paul chose the good fight, the fight that outweighs anything else. This fight rescues, loves, and restores people.

Paul spent his life praying for people, preaching the Word, and serving others. He was entrusted with the essentials of who Jesus is and our need for him, and he expresses in this letter that he has a crown of righteousness waiting for him.

We want to have the same hope of seeing Jesus face-to-face with a crown of righteousness at the end of our lives. Our motivation for behavior isn’t just what Christ did in the past but what God is doing in the future. The promise of our coming Savior should enthrall us.

Have you ever considered yourself someone who loves Jesus's appearance? Do you feel excited over the thought of Jesus arriving and picture yourself running toward Him in anticipation?

We are meant to leverage our lives for the fight that matters most—celebrating the coming sight of Jesus and the promise of an eternity with Him.

Don’t lose that gaze.