Finish the Job

Finish the Job

2 Corinthians 8: ¹⁰ My opinion is that it is better for you to finish now what you began last year. You were the first, not only to act, but also to be willing to act. ¹¹ On with it, then, and finish the job! Be as eager to finish it as you were to plan it, and do it with what you now have. ¹² If you are eager to give, God will accept your gift on the basis of what you have to give, not on what you don't have.

 

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“I will try to do that” or “I will get around to it” were words I used regularly to put off work or projects. Sometimes I did not know how to do the thing so it became overwhelming and I did not know how to ask for help. I would sit, dazed, not knowing how to finish.

 

• I was eager to start, but did not know how to keep going.
• I had great intentions, but did not have follow through.
• I had wonderful plans but lacked completion.

 

Paul hits everyone between the eyes with a bold statement, “Finish the job!” Wow! These words were meant to encourage those who had started a long journey, serving the LORD. Somehow they became discouraged and some may have fallen away. BUT GOD had different plans.

 

My Observations

• GOD wants me to persevere through ambiguous or dark times.
• GOD wants me to come out of hiding when I feel like I failed.
• GOD wants me to live my life with purpose and finish the job HE has given me.

 

“I will try” is the procrastinator’s credo. I mean, I sometimes don’t know how to change directions or even know if I should. And when I find the thing I am supposed to do, I may start strong, but get weary, even if GOD told me to do something important.

 

Let me say, “GOD understands.” He wants us to take little steps to the bigger vision HE has for us. HE never gives us an assignment we cannot handle. HE choses to use broken people to speak about perfection, namely JESUS. I am glad GOD wants me to finish strong by speaking about HIS SON, JESUS, who is my Savior.

 

Challenge

• What do you get out of the writers challenging words?
• Is there something you started that you have been putting off?
• Have you ever felt overwhelmed and did not know how to finish what you started?
• Will you live your life with GOD’s purpose and allow HIM to provide you with the right resources, words and energy to finish what HE wants you to do for HIM today?

Mindset

Luke 15: ¹⁷ “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! ¹⁸ I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, ¹⁹ and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ’

²⁰ “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. ²¹ And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

²² “But the father said to his servants,  ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. ²³ And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; ²⁴ for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.

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“Aw man, am I going to get punished this time!” I thought to myself. I mean I had promised GOD I would not do this particular sin anymore, yet there I was. My mind started racing as I tried to come up with things to say to GOD. “Maybe I’ll start out with, ‘Remember that time I served those people’?” was the practice in my mind.

• There were many times when I thought about GOD as this ‘graceless’ being.
• There were many times when I looked at GOD as being the ‘ultimate punisher.’
• There were many times when I viewed GOD as an ‘unforgiving tyrant.’

JESUS continues with the illustration of the son who left his father to squander everything. The son was now homeless and worse off than before. When he reasoned that even the father’s servants had it better than him, he decided to practice begging, still having a very wrong view of who his father was.

• GOD wants to have a real relationship with me so I can truly see who HE is.
• GOD wants me to change my sinful view of HIM and stop blaming HIM for not doing enough for me.
• GOD wants me to humbly seek HIM, not demand or command HIM to do stuff for me.

Compassion and love are GOD’s strongest qualities to those who love HIS SON. Yes, HE does allow consequence to happen as part of HIS love, but HE forgives me in spite of my actions. HE has already seen all of my sins, so my temporary goodness is always mired with gunk.

JESUS tries to explain the love of the FATHER who sees my heart a long way off. HE can tell when I have truly given my life to HIM rather than doing life “my” way. HIS compassion is great to me.

• What is your view of GOD?
• Do you think HE has left you?
• Will you stop thinking of GOD negatively and ask GOD for compassion and love today?
• Will you allow GOD to be GOD in your life by confessing how much you are trying to control HIM?