February 10, 2003 Monday
It is Finished

"I have finished my course" - 2 Timothy 4:7

What does it take to finish a race and to win the prize? When Paul said "I have finished my course" he did not state that he had simply completed a task, but he used a word which means to finish with perfection; Jesus spoke the same word when He hung from the cross and said, "it is finished" as He spoke of the only perfect sacrifice that could be accomplished to save mankind from sin. Paul earlier described his life as being one in which he was "reaching forth unto those things which are before" (Philippians 3:13) and he also said, "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:14); and the wonderful truth is that all of God's children have been given the incredible opportunity of running the exact same race. The results of the race, however, are up to us individually. Many will run for a while only to find themselves hindered and out of energy for a multitude of reasons. (Galatians 5:7) Beware of anything in your life that would keep you from "reaching forth" to finish your course and arriving to the desired mark..."the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Are you hindered...or will you finish?