June 19 - Finishing Well

 Read today’s texts first: 2 Kings 1-3; Psalms 82; 1 Timothy 1

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY

No matter how you may have faltered in your life to
this point, you can and you must finish strong.

It is an ongoing concern in churches and in theological schools. I used to talk about it almost every day when I was a pastor and Bible college president, preparing Christian leaders to “finish well!” The average throughout history tells us that 70% of leaders will not. My role then was preventative, trying to steer young leaders down the road of faithfulness and consistency. 

Well, it is even more of a concern in a seniors facility. Now, as a chaplain at Buchanan, my role is more redemptive, trying to help older leaders make needed adjustments in their final days on earth. My goal is to reassure these dear saints (the sinners too) that, no matter how they may have faltered during their life, they can still finish strong. It is the theme emerging from our readings today and it will be my message for an upcoming chapel service!

Contrast the kings of Israel with the prophets God sent to help them. Ahab’s life ended badly because he failed to listen to God. Then his son, Ahaziah, did the same thing. In today’s reading, he’s fallen and he can’t get up, literally, so he consults the non-god of Ekron. Word comes to him from Elijah that he will never get up again (his dad and the prophet Micaiah all over again!). “So he died” is his sad legacy (1:17). Compare his ignominious end with Elijah’s big finish. He ended his time on earth literally in a blaze of glory, or more specifically, in a chariot of fire!

Paul’s words to his young protégé sums it up well: Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith (1:18,19). May we all learn from the examples in Scripture, both good and bad, how to fight the good fight, holding on to our faith right to the end.

“Lord, my prayer in this assignment as chaplain is that I will become a model for others on how to finish well!”