Finishing Well

Originally typed: November 3, 2010

It's not how we start, but how we finish, but we can never finish well unless at some point you start well. How do we start well? Start today. What do we start?... Start to love others today, because we have been, and are loved, in spite of our yesterdays, and as for our tomorrow(s)... we can just try to love more if we get there.

How do we know how to love? Look at how we've been loved. Pray that through the Holy Spirit we would be shown our "unlovable" nature, and enamored with the grace and mercy we've received to have the breath to even begin to pray this prayer. Read and study and meditate through the Bible on how we've been, are, and will be loved by our Father, through the death and resurrection of Jesus, and through His ascension and sending of the Holy Spirit. And look for ways to reflect that love starting today. We must be attentive to the Spirit. Be attentive to our surroundings. We must be self aware to how we treat people, and to how we're "not all that great." When we do this we can love others more freely, because we see how freely we've been loved in spite of our yesterdays, today, and tomorrows.

There's no better way to build a future that may or may not happen, than to do it in light of a future that will be, and a past that was, and a present that is. Love and do things today to the "likable" and "unlikable" that will leave us justly and rightly happy tomorrow for what we have done with our yesterday, and if tomorrow never comes for us individually or collectively, we've finished well. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Philippians 2:1-8

Originally written : "Back in the day" "If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross." Philippians 2:1-8
Read more

On Wedding Gifts and Registries

I'm getting married this year (Lord willin)! With that comes many things, one of which is the process of making a wedding registry. The thought of wedding gifts was always kind of ironic to me.  “Why are we getting engaged people gifts? They’re getting a spouse! Why don’t we get single people some stuff?” That’s a joke a former part-time comedian, formerly single, permanent man, who formerly idolized marriage would make. I half-joked, “If I’m not married by a certain point, I’m gonna have a ‘not wedding,’ where people can bring me stuff… I’ve gotta wait for a wife, I shouldn’t have to wait for a toaster too…” (If you’re single and you like that idea, we’ll talk after class.) But now that I’m getting married, I’m all like… “Tradition!”  This time… I’m three-quarters joking, but I am seriously starting to understand a little bit more.  As we’ve thought through what to ask for, some metaphorical scales have fallen from my eyes, and I feel the importance of needing help launching int
Read more

I cannot "Title" this

Father... Thank You for continually seeking to remind me that You are all that satisfies... all I'll ever need...AND more than I'll ever deserve. Thank You...that though my foolish heart and mind wander and put up hope in other things and people, no matter how "good" they could be, You always seem to remind me how they fall flat compared to You. I pray that I become an easier student. However, I know I will often require a tough reminder. I'm thankful that You do not give up on me in spite of my pursuit of other, even if "good" and "wonderful," things. I'm thankful that You're always there to remind me, harshly when necessary, that You are BEST and that though my heart may long for "more" somehow that You are more than sufficient for such a prideful man. None of my words, nor a collection of those of the wisest men and women, could ever come near what it would take to express my need for You, and You alone; Nor could they aptl
Read more