Finish

 Acts 20:24 ESV

But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. 


It's not how we start that matters so much as how we finish. Paul was determined to finish well. Finishing well doesn't happen by osmosis.

What we value says a lot about us. Paul valued his ministry to testify of the good news of God's love. He wasn't some self proclaimed, self promoting 'apostle': he was commissioned by the Lord Jesus himself.

We might not be eyewitnesses of Christ's majesty. Yet he has commissioned all of us to testify of God's love in him. The gospel isn't something to be miserly with.

Maybe we haven't started out well. Neither did Paul: he was a violent, insolent blasphemer. Yet God showed him mercy so everyone can see there's hope for us too.

'Almighty Father, we're so grateful for the hope we have in Christ crucified. May we faithfully testify of it, in his name we ask, amen'.


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