Part 10a: Finish what you started
The end of a thing is better than its beginning; (Ecclesiastes 7:8 NKJV).
It is not how you start, it is how you finish that's matters. Starting requires motivation and inspiration. But finishing demands perseverance and endurance. People do not remember those who started the course, but those who completed, those who reached the finish line. Those are the people we celebrate. People who triumphed against all odds to get where they are.
Nehemiah writes, 'So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of Elul, in fifty-two days. And it happened, when all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations around us saw these things, that they were very disheartened in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was done by our God'. (Nehemiah 6:15-16 NKJV)
Two things that are glaring from this portion of scripture is that the work was finished, and that they gave the glory to God saying, 'the work was done by our God.'
Nehemiah completed his task, the vision of rebuilding the wall was accomplished. He carried the work from start to finish. He fulfilled God's call for his life. His story is inspiring simply because he finished. It is my hope that these lessons will help us to finish whatever it is that we have or will start. If you start and fail, you go into the statistics books. But if you start and complete, you go into the history books. Let these lessons help you navigate through different phases and pitfalls, and let them propel you to the finish line.
Give God the glory
The purpose of life is to glorify God through our various pursuits. Whether it be in sports, business, arts, ministry or academics, God must be glorified. God is looking for men and women, who will give Him the glory after achieving great things. When people give you an applause and standing ovation after a great display it is easy to just soak it in and take the credit, the glory and the adoration. Learn from Nehemiah, he said, 'the work was done by our God'. This is a man who knew that the work could not have been done without God. He knew that God was at work in and through him. He knew he was an instrument in the hands of the Almighty. Above all he knew that the glory belongs to God.
Soli Deo Gloria
The saints of old had a saying, 'Soli Deo Gloria' , which means glory only to God. Please know this, the battle is the Lord's, the victory is yours, but the glory is His. The psalmist says,' Not to us, Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness' (Psalm 115:1 NIV). When the battle is won, when we have reached the finish line, when we have successfully completed the course, let us remember to give the glory to whom it is due, To God.
Finishing the race
Hebrews 12 says there is a race that is marked out for you. Therefore I will say you must first know which race is marked for you. Then you must run your own race, and you must run in your lane. Stop running everywhere and doing everything. Have clarity of purpose and vision. Also know the starting point and the end point. Then you will be able to say like our Lord Jesus, ' it is finished' (John 19 v 30).
Jesus came to be crucified and pay for the sins of the world. This was His purpose, His race. He said to His disciples, “The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day” (Luke 9:22 NKJV). Therefore when He hang on the cross, fulfilling His purpose, He proclaimed 'it is finished'. By saying this He was saying the wrath of God has now being fully satisfied. He was saying now there is forgiveness of sins. He was saying now the sinful world can be reconciled with God. It is finished, therefore means the purpose has been fulfilled.
However the Journey to the finish line was not easy. He had to overcome the temptations of the devil through the Word. He had to submit His will to the will of Him who sent Him. He had to sweat blood and overcome His fear and emotions at the garden of Gethesmane. He had to endure insults hurled at Him even while hanging on the cross.
John testifies in the book of Revelation as follows, 'But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.” (Revelation 5:5 NKJV). Jesus has prevailed, He has fulfilled God's purpose and we can rejoice for now salvation is available for all men. Amen. It was not easy, but definitely worth it. Today we are children of God because Jesus did not quit, he finished. People say that quiters never win, and winners never quit. Follow after the example of Christ and persist to finish.
