Today Could be the End of My Race

Originally posted on facebook Wednesday, July 14, 2010 9:37 AM

Springboarding from a devotional in the Max Lucado devotional Bible (excerpted below), I was reading and the thoughts began to cascade into this:

We can start "well" or start "badly." As as the race takes place we can run well or stumble and fall. But what matters most is how we end. Will we finish the race well? The writer of the book of Hebrews said, "...let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." (Heb. 12:1) This addresses how we run the race - what I will call the "middle." Whether or not we start well, we can certainly follow the advice of Hebrews and make our very best attempt to run with perseverance. After all, the middle is where we will spend most of our life.

After our race is done people will remember how we ran the race in the middle -- how we lived the majority of our lives. They will remember whether we had a rocky start or a rock solid start -- our childhood and early years. But mostly they will remember the end. That is what will be fresh in their minds at that point. I'm not talking about our physical condition, whether we are weakened and have lost some of our vitality -  or even end up with diminished mental acuity. I'm speaking about whether or not we "kept the faith" to the very end. Paul said, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." 2 Timothy 4:7

If we start well and finish badly, people will remember that will a sad shake of the head.

If we start badly but finish well, people will remember that with a smile and a nod of the head.

But no matter how we start, run or finish, people will remember. And so will God. As I considered all of this a thought suddenly invaded my ponderings and I was made aware of one glaring fact:

TODAY COULD BE THE END OF MY RACE

We assume that the "middle" we are living now will give us time to prepare for the finish line. But what if something unforeseen takes place and today actually turns out to be my finish line? What if today becomes the place where I find the end? Well, then I had better make sure that today I am running the race to win.

I need to follow Paul's advice and very conscientiously live my life today - and every day - as though I could reach that finish line because I want to be able to receive from my heavenly Father any and all trophies, medals and words of "Well done." And that is how I want to be remembered by those here on earth as well.

Borrowed from Max Lucado in the NCV Devotional Bible: It's the end of the race that matters. "Trophies aren't given for great starts. Medals aren't awarded for entering the race. A good start is crucial, but in the end, the end is all that matters. First Samuel is a book of good starts but bad finishes. It seems that every key character put his best foot forward and ended up in last place. Take Eli for example ... Samuel is another case ... But the most dramatic example is Saul ... Why are these stories in the Bible? To remind us that we too are in a race. And that race isn't over. How we started isn't nearly as important as how we finish."

So again to emphasize my central thought: Since it is the end of the race that matters most, consider that today could be "THE END" and run today as though that finish line is in sight and I run with all my might to finish well!