God wants us to finish strong in this race of life. During the nearly 20 full marathons I’ve done, I often remember getting past the 20-mile mark and growing tired. It would be easy to stop and say I’d done enough. But with God’s help, I summoned the resolve to pick up the pace and run strong across the finish line. The same is true as we live each day, knowing Christ could return for us at any moment. The finish line could be now or years later.
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Strong to the End
God wants us to finish strong in this race of life. During the nearly 20 full marathons I’ve done, I often remember getting past the 20-mile mark and growing tired. It would be easy to stop and say I’d done enough. But with God’s help, I summoned the resolve to pick up the pace and run strong across the finish line. The same is true as we live each day, knowing Christ could return for us at any moment. The finish line could be now or years later.
We’ve been staying with Sherry’s Dad, her sister, and our nephew for nearly two weeks. It was like being “home” again, because we had lived here for five years previously. Palos Verdes, California, is one of my favorite places in the world: pristine beaches, rugged cliffs, expansive ocean views, and cool ocean breezes. The best thing though, is being with people you love. We got to spend some quality time with family, and also visit old friends. Life is good.
Sherry and I read the Bible before we go to bed. One night this week we read Mark, chapter 5. The gospel of Mark shows Jesus as a servant. He gives his all to save each individual he meets. The price of a soul is beyond earthly value.
I’ve learned over the years to listen to my wife. Sherry is what Proverbs 31 calls a virtuous woman, and that includes her being filled with wisdom. After completing a full marathon last year, I was thinking of doing it again. But Sherry recommended I cut back a little. The upside is that I didn’t have to run up to the top of a small mountain and could stay pretty level. Today I enjoyed—really enjoyed—running the Coeur D’Alene Half Marathon. The weather was perfect, the view along the lake was reminiscent of visiting the Sea of Galilee, and there were plenty of wonderful people to meet and encourage along the run.
There’s an old saying: “It’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game.” That may be true in one sense, but when we do things properly—God is faithful to reward us. There are consequences [positive or negative] for what is done. That is never truer than in the case of Jesus Christ, God’s only-begotten Son, and his archenemy, Lucifer.
This morning it was 25 below zero with the wind in our little part of Northwest Idaho. Overnight, our hot water pipe froze. When the repairman came, he was doubtful if he could help.
Communicating is what life is about. Yet how I talk to our two-year-old granddaughter, one of my middle-school students, or my wife is very different. God communicates with us even more personally through His Word. He had people filled with his spirit write it down [II Peter 1:21]. It came in human form as God’s Son, who made known his Father [John 1:14,18].