God Speaking

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

(2 Timothy 4: 7)

Our Home Group had our final Bible Study this week, until September, and much to our joy we were able to complete the Book of Exodus. I was telling my daughter of our success and she remarked, “Did it take you 40 years?” There certainly was a lot of reading, but the general consensus of the group was

We finished well!

As we read the last few chapters we discovered that, that was basically the theme of these final words. We had read earlier of the strict and very detailed instructions that God had given Moses in how to make the Tabernacle and the sacred clothes for the priests and the wonderful way God had given all the skills needed to fulfill the task. The ultimate test for the Israelites was to see if they could put it altogether exactly how the Lord had designed it to be. They did!

“The Israelites had done all the work just as the Lord had commanded Moses.” (Exodus 39: 42)

They finished well!

We were fascinated to read that no squabbles broke out between workers. No changes in the instructions given. No moaning about how hard the task was. They followed God’s commands.

Paul knew to finish well, in life, the same principle applied. He knew that to finish the race there was no turning back. No changing the path set before him. No changing the game rules. Listen to the Heavenly Coach.

The road of life can have many side tracks that may divert us from the one true path that leads us always to the Heavenly Father. Much of the media is flooded with advice on how to set goals for oneself from how to lose 10 pounds to how to get a university degree in 6 months. We have to be careful as beloved children of the Father not to stray from his word and start on any other path that is not his.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw of everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” (Hebrews 12: 1)

It would have been very easy for the Israelites to forget how they were to complete the Tabernacle or even to forget who had been given just the right skills to carry out each task, but God specifically tells Moses to write down the instructions. It is exactly the same for us. God’s word contains everything we need to know in how to lead our lives, we just have to make sure we never forget to read them. We know Paul finished well and this is why;

“However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me – the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.” (Acts 20:24)