As I consider the topic for this article, and the sense of wanting to finish strongly, I want to challenge each of us to the task of finishing strongly as a servant of the Lord and taking steps now to ensure this.
I hope to have many years of life ahead but I consider each day an opportunity to grow closer to God and want to finish each year, each season and ultimately my life, strongly. There are examples throughout the bible of men who didn't end their life well and sad but true stories of more recent Christian men and women who have also finished poorly.
Considering this quest to end well, I was recently reflecting on what it means to be 'hot' for the Lord, rather than lukewarm or cold. I believe that 'to be on fire for the Lord' is to be growing closer to Him and becoming more like Him.
Without this regular pattern of growth our relationship with God will quickly become stale and decline. The pressures placed upon us by the distractions of this world and the lies of the devil will quickly take root and likely suck life from us.
This thought creates a fear within me to be on the constant alert regarding my relationship with God. For this reason I have established structures in my life to keep pressing me forward.
Structures to daily life
As I share these please consider the need you may have in your life to develop a similar plan of accountability and support, in order that you finish strongly and continue to reflect the Lord in your life.
1. Mentor: I have deliberately asked someone I respect and admire to mentor me. We try to catch up once a month or so and chat about our lives and how we are doing. I take this opportunity to ask questions and seek advice from a man who has gone ahead of me.
2. Small group: Every fortnight I get together with a few other guys and we go through a bible study together about manhood/parenthood. We pray with each other, share our experiences (both good and bad) and seek to become better husbands, dads, friends and leaders.
3. Church attendance: I attend Church regularly with my family and my wife and I are part of an 8 week bible study series with other church members.
4. Ministry: I have several different ministries I am involved with on a regular basis. This keeps me focused on giving out the love of God, and using my gifts to draw others to Christ.
5. Regular time with God: I usually have time set aside in the morning before I go to work, for God. This includes reading the word and often journaling and/or praying. Prayer is also an important part of my family's life and something we do regularly and ongoing.
6. Fasting: Most Friday lunch times I will fast and use my lunch break to concentrate on some extra devotional time with God.
7. Tithing: Giving at least 10% of our income continues to remind my wife and I of God's provision in our lives. Our giving to God also cements Him as the Lord over our finances.
God's Grace
I am not perfect and this list sometimes seems more like a goal than a reality but thankfully God's grace is sufficient in my life.
I firmly believe without these structures however my relationship with the Lord would quickly slip into 'an old school friend' mentality and my words and actions would poorly (and worsen) reflect those of my saviour.
So how are you growing? Are you growing? Do you need to implement structures into your life to strengthen, encourage and challenge you in your relationship with God? What actions do you need to take in order to finish well?
If you realise your relationship with God has declined please take time with God to repent and ask Him sincerely for help. Then consider, with Him, the things you may need to adjust in your life to see continual growth and ultimately finish well. He is calling you, His child to reflect Him and it's our honour and privilege to show Him to the world because of all that He has done for us.
An eternal truth
There is a day coming in which we will all stand before our maker and creator to answer for all we have done. Will you proudly receive a 'well done my good and faithful servant' or realise many of your hours and years have been wasted on things that have no eternal significance?
"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified." 1 Corinthians 9 verses 24-27
Let us each race for the imperishable prize. Let us train our bodies today (and each day) for the long haul ahead and find our reward at the finish line, rather than getting sucked into the temporary pleasures of life and gradually slip into a spiritual coma.
Tim Wilson is married with two children who served with YWAM for five years in Brisbane and now serving in mission in Canada.
Tim Wilson's archive of articles may be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/tim-wilson.html