Finishing Well

All of us have a limited time in this earth? One thing that this pandemic has taught us is that not only are we not guaranteed tomorrow, but also that tomorrow may not even afford the same opportunities as today.

It’s so easy for us to just skate through life with no real plan. Most things in life won’t happen by accident. If I want to be a better husband, father, pastor, and Christ-follower this coming year than the year past. I’m going to have to live with a sense of intentionality. I’m going to have to plan for it. I’m going to have take an honest evaluation of my life. If I don’t do this my days will slip on by. Before I know it years will have passed and I will not be any better then I was before.

In fact, several places in scripture give us this idea of self-reflection and evaluation.

Ecclesiastes 7:2 CSB

It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, since that is the end of all mankind, and the living should take it to heart.

In a house of feasting we live only for the moment, for that day. In a house of mourning or funeral, we take into account our mortality and we realize that time is precious.

Psalm 90:12 CSB

Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts.

One might ask, “how does numbering our days help to develop wisdom?”

If we take this passage of scripture seriously, it should cause us to realize that every day is precious and time is limited. What good does it do to make this statement and yet make no adjustments to the way we live?

To those that are older:

I have heard all of my life from those who are older than I that time is short and goes by so fast.

So my question for you today is if you have come to this realization, than what are you doing to make sure that your remaining days will be used well?

Does your life now set the example and pattern for living that exemplifies this understanding to those younger than you?

To those who are younger:

Are you listening? Are you paying attention to what is being said by the older generation. They aren’t lying to you....your life will fly by you. I promise you that will feel like you have barely blinked and your time has vanished.

James 4:14 CSB

Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring—what your life will be! For you are like vapor that appears for a little while, then vanishes.

It is important that we use our time wisely. One way we can do this is to take an account of the past year and to ask questions to help us evaluate where we need to go?

Today we are going to ask four questions to evaluate our usage of time this past year.

#1 Is there anything I have left unfinished?

#2 Is there anything I regret not attempting?

#3 Is there anything I need to do differently?

# 4 Is there anything I need to leave behind?

Text: Romans 13:10-14

Romans 13:10–14 CSB

Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Love, therefore, is the fulfillment of the law. Besides this, since you know the time, it is already the hour for you to wake up from sleep, because now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is nearly over, and the day is near; so let us discard the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk with decency, as in the daytime: not in carousing and drunkenness; not in sexual impurity and promiscuity; not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to gratify its desires.

#1 Is there a task I have left Unfinished?

Is there a task the Lord has lead me to begin that I have left undone?

Have I completed the work given to me?

Have I fulfilled my vows to the Lord?

#2 Is there Anything I regret not attempting?

What are some tasks the Lord laid on your heart to do but you never attempted to accomplish due to bussiness, fear, or complacency?

#3 Is There Anything I Need to Do Differently?

How can you order your life to live more intentionally for the cause of Christ in your family and in the ministry that God has given you.

#4 Is There Anything I Need to Leave Behind?

When is the last time you’ve determined to pursue holiness in all areas of your life? I mean really pursued it. When did we as believers begin to take the statement “It’s not that bad” as an acceptable standard for purity and holiness.

Leviticus 19:2 CSB

“Speak to the entire Israelite community and tell them: Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.

1 Peter 1:15 CSB

But as the one who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct;

Trans: So today, I want us to reflect on these four questions. But then I want us to finish with this idea.