II Timothy 4:6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
Paul summed it up by giving the Lord glory for all things. Leading up to these verses he instructed Timothy as a young pastor. He needed encouragement in ministry. Then Paul said he was ready to be offered. He knew God was about finished with him. It was near the end of his days. At that end he wanted to offer something to God: a finished course, a fight fought well, and a faith kept. Through his life he’d done his best; he had been faithful to the truths of the Word of God. He’d had a struggle. Being a Christian is not a bed of roses but it is a bed of blessings.
David was sent to his brothers with provisions and found them in a battle. King Saul was hiding out. God’s people were scared. David came in cheering them on and his brothers told him to be still and go back home and tend the sheep. None of them was willing to go face the giant Goliath. David was willing. He said the battle was the Lord’s and told Goliath that God would deliver him into his hands that day. Was it a good fight? Yes! God toppled the giant through David.
We all have lots of giants. Paul did too. He fought a fight, a good one. It made me think. Am I fighting a good fight? If today was the end of our lives, have we fought as we should? Have we been as faithful as we wants? Have we finished the course like we should by running successfully? We can’t take anything with us. All we have to offer the Lord is how we’ve served him and how we’ve run our race. Paul had accomplished what God wanted. On the cross Jesus said “it is finished.” It meant it was accomplished. He saw he need not suffer any longer because it was done. It pays us to live our best and fight the fight not giving up or dropping out of the race. Be more careful with the plan of salvation so we can accomplish what God wants of us. If we focus each day on what God wants we’ll have done well. In our dying we can say here is my life and I offer it to you. I think God accepted Paul’s offering. When we come to the end we can offer it to God and he’ll accept it. Paul accomplished it by God’s grace and because of that he said there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. There is a crown laid up, a place in heaven. It makes me want to accomplish more and we can by his grace and mercy.
It takes fighting the fight, sweating it out. We’re feeling that it’s the last part of the race. The finish line is coming and we can finish as well as we started. He will keep us as we keep him. Do your best to do the will of God. As your feet hit the floor each day, pray that whatever the fight that day is that you’ll accomplish it for God’s glory. The last day will come and we’ll have something to offer. Accomplishment should be the goal of every one of us.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 