Finish the Race

It isn’t so much about how you begin. It’s all about how you finish.

 We often call him “Good King Asa” but, according to Scripture, his story wasn’t all good. After an amazing start, King Asa didn’t finish well. From his story, we are reminded that God has called us to run a marathon, not a sprint. Asa’s story also reminds us that the bad decision that compromised his ability to finish strong is the same kind of bad decision that can derail us today.

 What have we accomplished over the last 36 years? Were we on the planet yet? Asa’s failure in year 36 illustrates a crucial point for us if we want to finish the race. His story helps us understand that a life devoted to God is a marathon rather than a sprint. Our walk with God, no matter how brief or how long, requires our full and constant attention. How many times do we try tackling life’s problems on our own rather than including God from the very beginning? God’s reminder to us is that nothing we face is too minor. He wants to be included!