Living Life to the End

 November 2, 2024

Saturday

Some people have trouble finishing. They are great starters but they come to a point when they think they have done enough. I have seen that with people in their marriages. They come to a point when they think they have done enough so they quit working on it. Their marriages may not end in divorce but they do end in nothingness.

Of course, that is true when people consider their Christian life. They think that they needed to do some things at the church while they were younger but now that they are older they need to turn this over to the "young people." This is not found in the Bible, but it is found in our society. Retirement seems to be what many people want to talk about after they reach fifty or so. Somehow, that translates into their service to the Lord. I want to travel and not be tied down. I want to do what I want to do. This is the sentiment of the world creeping into our relationship with the Lord.

On the other hand, many Christians never made a commitment to Christ that required their own sacrifice. They give out of abundance, when they want to see a cause forwarded, when they are seen as givers and when they feel guilty. Some make what they would call sacrifices to the Lord when they want Him to do something for them. These aren't really sacrifices. They are investments.

Do they miss anything when they never answer God's call to be a living sacrifice to the Lord? Yes! They miss that intimate relationship. They miss the purpose that God has for them. They miss the joy of walking with the Lord. They miss seeing God perform miracles. They miss the assurance of their faith. They miss the strength of the Lord. They miss the confidence that comes from believing.

There were a couple of diving platforms over the pool of my college. I watched many people climb the stairs and walk up to the edge, only to walk back down the stairs. They were afraid of making the commitment of diving or jumping off of that platform into the pool. They missed the absolute thrill of making a dive from that height.

So, whether you have done a lot for the Lord in the past or never made the commitment of sacrifice to the Lord in the first place, there is still a lot of relationship left. We can finish the race or quit before we finish. We can run to win or just conserve our resources and come in last.

How do you want your life to be when this life is over?

Philippians 1:21–25 (NASB 2020) ²¹ For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. ²² But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. ²³ But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; ²⁴ yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sakes. ²⁵ Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith,