“Finish Well”

“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).

One of the great evidences of faith in our lives is the assurance of God’s care during a trial. Yesterday in our Sunday School class our friend Ken shared a prayer request concerning a relative stricken with cancer. She had sent out an email update to her family concerning her current condition and candidly reported that her medical prognosis was bleak and treatment options very limited. “Pray that I can be faithful, bring glory to God and not let fear rule my life.”

But when Ken shared the request the part that especially caught my attention was the faith she had passed on to her children. Her son is getting married in August and it is her greatest desire to attend. But he lovingly reassured her, “Yes I would like you here, but remember that going to my wedding is nothing compared to heaven and a new healthy body.”

Although I have never met the people Ken was referring to I am heartened by such a resolve to finish well.A gospel group called Karen Peck and New River has a song (a link to a video is below) titled “Finish Well” which has this line.

The apostle Paul’s perspective on life and death is so liberating. After his conversion on the Damascus road he began experiencing the great joy that comes in living for Christ. He testified in our daily text, “For me to live is Christ.” His wasn’t by any means an easy life but millions since have testified to the joy of serving the living Christ.  Indeed “life is worth the living just because He lives.”

And yet Paul also had the perspective, “to die is gain.” The word translated “gain” has the sense of advantage. In fact a few verses later Paul says, “I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far” (Philippians 1:23).

Several years later Paul wrote his final letter to Timothy with this awareness; “The time has come for my departure” (2 Timothy 4:6). What solid resignation I see in these words as he faced the martyr’s death and made this proclamation, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7).

Today, what a joy it is to follow Christ and have a deep, abiding assurance of His love. When the time comes for our departure we lose our frail, aging, and mortal body along with our residency in a world that is day by day sliding into decadence and destruction. We will “gain” and be better off by far with our immortal, ageless, and healthy bodies along with our residency in a place that is timeless, ageless, and sinless. That’s what we live for! Praise the Lord, today I am a child of the King with my home address on earth, but “tomorrow”, as a child of the king, my home address will be heaven. Won’t you join me there as we finish well here.

Be encouraged today,


Stephen & Brooksyne Weber