Finish

 November 4, 2023

2 Chronicles 14-16 outline the life of king Asa of Judah. He was the great-grandson of Solomon. The chronology goes: David, Solomon, Rehoboam, Abijah, Asa. He is regarded as one of the better kings, having destroyed pagan altars and restoring temple worship in Jerusalem. He did pretty well for most of his life, but when threatened of invasion by Baasha from Israel in the north, instead of trusting in God as he had done when invaded by an earlier Ethiopian army, he bribed the Syrian king to the north of Israel. When confronted by a prophet concerning his weakening faith, he had the prophet imprisoned.

He had been told that as long as he sought the Lord, he would find the Lord, but if he abandoned the Lord, trouble would be the result. Sadly, his latter years were a mish-mash of trust and faithlessness.

Starting well is good, but finishing well is the goal. I am much closer to the finish line than the starting line. I’ve stumbled more than once in this marathon of life, but my most earnest prayer is to finish well. I’ve seen the toll of faithful Christ-followers who as the years piled up, began to compromise, grew lazy, or completely abandoned the faith they once championed. I’d be a fool to think it couldn’t happen to me. So I pray, “Lord, guard my heart, hold my hand, and protect my head, so I can say with St. Paul, 

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” —II Timothy 4:7-8