How will you finish your race?

Life brings so many challenges, but God has given us all we need to conquer these challenges, honor Him, and finish well. Oh, how easy it is to get distracted or to complain in this world, but may we be faithful.

I long to hear my Savior say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”

Contemplating this thought throughout the week has made me think of what the Bible says about finishing well. Here are a few verses I found with the term “well done” in them. (Emphasis mine.)

Acts 10:33

^“33 Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.”

Here, a Gentile (non-Jew) who worshipped God was told to send someone to Peter to have him come to tell them the way to live, to tell them about Jesus. Now, Jews did not fellowship with people of other nations, but God had called Peter to do it through a vision. Peter went. The Gentile then told him that he had done well.

Will we tell people who we may not normally associate with of Jesus? Will we obey?

Philippians 4:14

^“14 Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction.”

Paul had been in affliction and need. The Philippians had ministered to him through this. He is commending them here that they have served him in his trials. They have done well.

I noticed that he said they communicated with him in his affliction. Often, even in our weakness, we can communicate with others who may be going through trials. We can encourage them.

And, finally, we see a parable of Jesus.

Matthew 25:14-30

^“”14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.

¹⁵ And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.

¹⁶ Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.

¹⁷ And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.

¹⁸ But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.

¹⁹ After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.

²⁰ And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.

²¹ His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

²² He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.

²³ His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

²⁴ Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:

²⁵ And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.

²⁶ His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:

²⁷ Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.

²⁸ Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.

²⁹ For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.

³⁰ And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

May we serve Him with whatever He has given us so that He can say, “Well done!”