For the past nine years, I have taken seminary courses toward a Masters degree. Yes, I said nine years (don't judge me). First word of advice - don't wait until you are 40+ to begin a graduate degree! Second word of advice - don't quit! Yesterday, I completed my LAST paper for this degree. The joy I received when I typed two words was overwhelming. It was not "The End", but was "In conclusion". It is at that point in the paper, I summarized the previous pages (and I knew I did well).
That is just a paper.
What about our spiritual walk? As we move another day closer to completing our mission here, can we pause to evaluate and summarize? If you are walking closely with the Lord, living in obedience to His commands and allowing Him the authority to transform you into His image - you are doing well. Your "in conclusion" will be a joyous recount of the many ways God has used you for His glory.
If your life does not represent the previous description, your "in conclusion" will be convicting and painful, because it has been about you. Don't get me wrong - THAT is a good thing! You see, if I came to the conclusion of my paper and realized I missed something in the content, I could go back and correct it so I could finish the paper well. You have another breath and another heartbeat. You can use them for God's glory or for your own. You still have an opportunity to finish well.
This is your life.
We are either writing our own story or we are joining God in His. One has a dismal and perhaps surprising ending - see Matthew 7:21-23.The other is the beginning of eternity in Heaven in the presence of God Almighty. I pray you will choose well!
"I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:14
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