Have you ever had days when it seemed you did not finish anything? I have had many of those days. When this happens, I choose one thing to finish, which helps me to feel I accomplished something. I believe it is just as important to finish something as it is to start. I do not like things that are half done. My intention is to always finish the job.
In John chapter 4, Jesus meets a woman at the well. He has sent the disciples into town to buy food, and he stays outside of town by the well. She is coming to the well in the heat of the day when other women will not be there. Her reputation would cause them to gossip and insult her when in their presence. It was not an accident that Jesus was there when she arrived. Jesus knows all things, and there are no accidental meetings with Him, not then and not now. She has an encounter with Jesus and accepts Him as the Messiah. She then proceeds to go tell others and bring them to the Savior. She is not finishing her responsibilities as a new believer; she is just beginning by bringing others to Him.
In verse 31, we see that the disciples have returned and are encouraging Him to eat. They wonder if someone else has brought Him something to eat. Then in verse 34, He states that His food, meaning His sustenance, is to do the will of the one who sent Him. His heavenly Father sent Him to die and pay the price for the sins of the world. He would make a way for us to be redeemed back to the Father. His “meat” is to finish His work. The work of salvation for all who would believe. He had a job to do, and nothing would interfere with His completion.
John 4:31-34 “In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat? Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.”
Paul was one of the greatest Christians who ever lived. He was sold out to God, and after His encounter with Jesus, His course was set. He suffered prison, beatings, shipwrecks, snake bites, and being left for dead, yet he did not stop. He had a mission to tell and disciple as many as he could until he died. In Acts 20:24, he states his purpose. He will finish what God has called him to do. It is noteworthy that he states he will finish it with joy. It was not because everything was wonderful; in fact, the opposite was true. However, he did not allow his circumstances to determine how and when he would finish his ministry. He would finish the job.
Act 20:24 “But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.”
In II Timothy chapter 4, Paul knows that his time of ministry will shortly be coming to an end. Part of finishing the job is training and appointing someone to pick up where we leave off and continue the work of evangelization and discipleship. Paul appointed Timothy. He had trained him well and had confidence that he could carry on and do the same as Paul had taught him. In verse 4, he is ready to die. He affirms this in verse 7. “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.”
II Ti 4:5-6 “But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.”
In Hebrews 12:1-2, we are to finish our duty in this life with patience. The writer reminds us that many have gone before us, and we can look to their examples for encouragement to finish our job.
Hebrews 12:1-2 “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
When we finish our jobs, honoring and glorifying God, we will obtain the incorruptible prize of Heaven. This commission is the same for every Christian. We must finish the job!
I Corinthians 9:24 “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receives the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that strives for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible.”
