5 Keys to Finishing Well

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 2 Timothy 4:17

Many Americans see the Super Bowl as a signal that the 33-race NASCAR season is about to begin. In order to make the final Nascar Chase at the end of the season, consistency throughout is key. But if a driver wants to win it all, he must pull out all the stops and finish the season well. That’s exactly what Tyler Reddick did to win the 2018 Nascar Xfinity Series championship!

One day, all of us who are Christians, will be welcomed home to Heaven. Our race will be complete. I imagine that God will pull out all the stops. No earthly event, regardless how spectacular, will compare to that moment when we first see Jesus! All that will matter at that moment is that we are in His presence and that we have finished well!

5 Keys to Finishing Our Race Well

1.  Be sure we are racing for the correct team. Jesus said that He is the only way to Heaven (John 14:6), so we must be certain that we are on His team. In the end, His team is the only one that will win!

2.  Find our driving style. God made each of us unique. We did not come off an assembly line — we were handcrafted by the Lord. Because of this, we all have a unique design or SHAPE. In order to finish well, we must discover God’s design and purpose for our lives and live accordingly.

3.  Remember who owns the car. We are not our own, we have been bought with a price (1 Cor. 6:19-20). We are simply servants and stewards, so we should follow His race instructions.

4.  Stop for regular pit stops. Even the most finely-tuned $200,000 race car cannot run without regular pit stops. Throughout a race, drivers stop for fresh tires, fuel, and minor adjustments. We must stop regularly for Bible study, prayer, worship, rest, etc. if we want to finish well.

5.  Race to the line. We should never quit. We should never give up. We should keep racing all the way to the finish line. So often, I see people give up on the race before the race is completed. We should pace ourselves in such a way that we can race to the end.

Prayer:  God help us connect with You through Your Son, the Lord Jesus. Help us discover how You put us together and help us run our race according to Your plans. Help us race with integrity , with consistency, and with other teammates in mind. Help us to race to the line and finish well for Your glory! Amen.