Thankful for Finishing Well

It’s Thanksgiving morning and most of us are thinking about “starting”.  Starting to get the casseroles ready, starting the turkey, starting to watch the parade, starting the ride to Grandma’s house and perhaps starting to get ready for football.  While we are thinking about starting, I’ll talk a little bit about finishing.  Well, actually the apostle Paul is talking about finishing well as he writes to Timothy in 2 Timothy chapter 4.  Paul is in prison, near the end of his life and he writes these words:  ⁷ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸ Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

Paul had finished well.  Despite all the persecution and opposition, Paul never gave up the race.  He finished the race and he finished well.  Last night at our Thanksgiving Eve service we heard three testimonies from three men.  One of them is in the midst of the race and is doing very well.  I’m thankful for him and his family.  The other two men were both in their 80’s.  Both of them have outlived their fantastic and godly wives and yet continued to run the race.  They testified to God’s grace in their lives and their love for Him and His church.  They are faithful examples of what Paul is talking about here.  Both of these men are a lot closer to the end of their “race”, though all who know them hope they have many more years left to run.  I am thankful for their godly example and their service to Jesus.  When I reach their age, Lord willing, I hope that I will be still running the race as well as they are.  I’m thankful for the men and women in my life who are finishing well.  I pray that we all finish well the race that God has set before us.  So let’s run each day as if it might be our last, and then we will be well on our way to finishing well.