OUR DAILY BREAD Friday, Feb. 24, 1995 --------------- READ: 2 Timothy 4:6-8 FINISHING THE RACE "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." - 2 Timothy 4:7 It's easy to live a long life, at least in America. Look at the statistics: Out of every 100,000 persons, 88,361 reach 50 years of age, more than 70,000 people make it to 70, and almost 17,000 get to 85 or more. Staying around a long time, however, should not be our primary goal. Rather, we should be concerned with giving significance and value to all our years and not letting them end in shame and disgrace. How we finish the race depends to a great extent on the pace we set along the way. Joseph Wittig remarked that when we write people's biographies we should start with their death, not their birth. After all, we have nothing to do with the way our life began, but we have a lot to do with the way it ends. When Paul wrote 2 Timothy, he was in a Roman dungeon awaiting execution. He said, "I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand" (4:6). At that moment he could testify, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" (v. 7). We too can end the Christian race well, even if we began late, started slow, or faltered along the way. The secret is to stay true to Christ to the last moment. -- Haddon W. Robinson Just live your life before your Lord, Rise to that higher, nobler plane-- With single eye His glory seek, And you shall His approval gain. ------------------------------------------- THOUGHT FOR THE DAY ------------------------------------------- He who puts God first will have happiness that lasts. ------------------------------------------- THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 26-28 ------------------------------------------- ====================================================================== Our Daily Bread, Copyright 1995, used by permission of Radio Bible Class, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49555, USA. Written permission must be obtained from RBC for any further posting or distribution. Radio Bible Class provides a variety of Bible resources, which are free of charge. RBC is not funded by any group or denomination, and support comes voluntarily from its Members and Friends. Write for more information, or call 1-800-598-7221. This copy redistributed by Larry Holder (larryh@utm.edu) with express written permission of RBC, from an original distribution by Ken Foster (kfoster@sptekwv14.wv.tek.com). Redistribution is only to individuals and lists that have expressly consented to receiving a copy. <>< ====================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------ file: /pub/resources/text/Our.Daily.Bread/db950224.txt .