Finishing the Course
Acts 20:22–24 (NASB95)
"And now, behold, bound by the Spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem,
not knowing what will happen to me there,
except that the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies to me in every city,
saying that bonds and afflictions await me.
But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself,
so that I may finish my course and the ministry
which I received from the Lord Jesus,
to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God."
COWBOY WISDOM
There is a certain kind of cowboy who, when told the trail ahead is dangerous, turns back for the barn. And there's another kind — the kind Paul was — who cinches up his saddle, thanks you for the warning, and rides on anyway. Paul knew full well what Jerusalem held for him. The Holy Spirit had made it plain in every city: bonds and afflictions were waiting down the road. He rode toward them with his eyes wide open.
That's not recklessness — that's surrender. Paul said something that ought to stop us cold: "I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself." That is the language of a man who has settled the question of who owns his life. He wasn't running toward suffering for suffering's sake. He was running toward the finish line of the course God had set before him, and he refused to let fear of the trail stop him from getting there.
Everyone wants the eternal rewards, but not everyone is willing to do what it takes to earn them. The Lord doesn't ask us to be reckless, but He does call us to be willing — willing to suffer, willing to sacrifice, willing to lay aside our own comfort when His call demands it. Secret service agents will step between a bullet and the man they're sworn to protect. Paul would step between the gospel and the silence of fear, every single time. That's what finishing the course looks like.
The question for each of us is not whether we signed up for this ride. If you're a follower of Jesus Christ, you already have. The question is whether you're going to ride all the way to the finish or bail out when the trail gets rough. What course has God set before you, and what's been keeping you from riding it?
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION
What does it mean to "not consider your life dear to yourself"? What does that look like in your daily decisions?
Is there a specific calling or ministry you have been hesitant to pursue out of fear? What's the fear about?
How do you tell the difference between godly sacrifice and unnecessary recklessness?
What course do you believe God has set before you — and how much of it have you actually run?
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, You set the ultimate example of finishing the course — all the way to the cross and through the grave. Give us that same willingness. Where we have been holding our lives too tightly, loosen our grip. Help us to value the mission You've given us more than our own comfort and safety. Let us finish what You've called us to do. Amen.
