When God calls you to build 100 castles on earth and you build 98, take the 99th as if it’s the beginning of your work and work hard to finish the race in all excellence. Go the extra mile! – Israelmore Aylvor
Paul in writing to Timothy is very straight forward in what he has to say of assurance that he can finish the course. The finished line is just head and we are going down the stretch. We have made many sacrifices and faced many battles. Everything that we have done up until now will all be in vain if we don’t finish the race.
Therefore, we need to keep our minds off our worries and problems. Instead we should lift up our heads and with a spiritual vision see the finished line. Paul was in prison so near the end of his life. He said, “I have fought the good fight, the time of my departure is at hand, therefore there is laid up for me a
crown of righteousness.”
Paul made it clear that he didn’t reach the finish line without opposition.
All of hell opposed him.
The world pulled at him.
The flesh tormented him.
Life is a struggle, and in a race, effort is required. In so doing, we need to continuously advance in one direction.
Paul states that it will be a fight to the finish. Yes, some will be wounded and scarred. Some have shed tears and experienced broken hearts. Through it all we have to learn to forget those things that were behind us and to press on. Keep going on and look forward to the day when you will hear, “Well done”, from the only One whose opinion really matters.
1 Corinthians 9:24–27
ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we are incorruptible.
