Finish It

November 6, 2018

“There is one thing very successful people have in common. It doesn’t matter what their field of endeavor; one thing alone they all share. And only about 1% of people fit into this category; that’s only one in a hundred.” The preacher had my attention even though I had just tuned in and had missed most of his message. I was driving and listening attentively. 

“They finish what they start.” That was it. They don’t quit. Most people start well, but somewhere along the line, they lose interest, get tired, or it gets too hard, and they quit. I’ve been there. Staying with it isn’t easy. Maintaining a consistent focus requires a great deal of effort, and if we don’t see immediate or near-immediate results, we tend to say, “Well, that didn’t work,” as we move on to something else. I’ve watched people do this repeatedly; they start well, with good intentions and even good plans. Whether it’s their job, raising their kids, volunteering for the church or community, they begin with high expectations, only to cave in to the pressure of the task. 

The preacher quoted Jesus’ High Priestly prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane—“I have glorified you on the earth; I have finished the work you gave me to do.” (John 17:4). One translation has it, “I have glorified you on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.” People often say they want to glorify God. They imagine it will happen when they do some great work for Jesus, when it may be that all they need to do is finish what they started.

In my annual reviews for ministry, I was often asked, “What strengths do you have?” My response rarely varied. “I’m an OK preacher, a decent pastor, a terrible administrator, but the one thing I do well is, I don’t quit.” 

It’s a question worth asking: “Have I finished what God gave me to do?” I thought I had when I retired. I was mistaken. I believe I finished what God gave me to do at Park church, but apparently there was more to do elsewhere. So the question nips at my heels once more. Have I finished what God gave me to do? I’m pondering that question because I don’t want to stop running before I reach the finish line. I’m thankful that Jesus didn’t quit, and that those who taught me the Gospel didn’t quit. By God’s grace, I won’t quit, either. I want to glorify God by finishing what he gave me to do.