[Thursday's Devotional] - Towards the Finish...

And so we press on towards the finish, battling through the trials and tribulations that befall us, and enjoying those moments that bring a smile to our faces and joy to our hearts.  I hope you all get more of the latter.  It doesn't matter what position any of us finish, like I said it's not a race.  What's more, none of us know where the finish is, do we?  And to be honest none of us can remember anything about when we physically started, although I bet many of us can remember the date and how we began spiritually.

I liked the film 'The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner'. The main character was a young offender who was allowed out of the prison to do cross country running and was trusted to return at the end of the run.  It was not the running that was important to him, but how his mind was free to go wherever it wanted while he ran.  Life is like that – it's not the physicality but the spirituality that is more important.  It's just taken a few of us a bit longer to find that out. Fortunately God has the grace and patience to wait for us to realise what it's all about.

So we continue on, not knowing where or when or how the finish will come, and we try not to think about the physical side of it.  So don't.  There is, however, one thing to remember.  The finish is actually God's new beginning for each of us.  Now that's better than a gold medal isn't it!

Lord, guide us along the path you wish us to follow so that we may face the future with your love in our hearts, and encourage us to show your love to all around us. Amen.

Jim Finch