The Last Lap by Steve Keeler
2 Timothy 4:7-8; "I have fought the good fight, I have
finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future
there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness,
which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me
on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who
have loved His appearing."
People are remembered for how they finish their
lives, their relationships, their ministry. When life gets
tough and it seems we can't or won't make it, God
helps us run the race before us. Are you planning on
finishing the race of life well? With God's help you can.
Folks the race I'm speaking of is our life with Jesus
Christ and I want you to know that the last lap is as
important as the first lap. You can run the race but you
must get through the last lap to finish well.
The bible is full with people who finished that race
badly: In 2 Chronicles 24:1 -2 We are told of Joash and
how he began so well. Joash was only seven year old
when he became king and held that position for 40
years. 2 Chronicles 24:2 says; "Joash did that which
was right in the sight of the LORD..."
He restored the temple and eliminated fifteen years of
idol worship from Jerusalem. Yet as he approached the
end of the race he fell. His faithful guardian had passed
away at the age of 130 and Joash began to listen to
those who gave him ill advise.
The people abandoned the temple and began to
worship idols again and when a Zechariah the son of
Joash's guardian was sent to them by the Spirit of God
to tell them to return to God, Joash had him stoned in
the courtyard of the temple.
As long as he had his faithful guardian Joash stayed on
the correct path but as soon as he died Joash was led
astray at the good old age of thirty. I would like to
believe that at 30 he was able to make decisions for
himself but he wasn't.
Joash spent much energy in building a external temple.
He was filled with zeal for a good cause but he
neglected to build his inner temple and fortify himself
against the devil.
It is during the last lap when the going becomes hard,
when the body is in pain, when the legs are weak and
beg for relief that it is easy to follow the advice of those
who say quit.
But I say we must persevere in the midst of hardship;
go to God and seek his guidance. Keep far from those
who would encourage you to give up your race and
cling to those who encourage you to run well.
In 1 kings, we are told about King Asa. Asa was king
for 41 years and in 1 Kings 15:11-14 we read; "Asa did
what was right in the sight of the Lord, like David his
father. He also put away the male cult prostitutes from
the land and removed all the idols which his fathers
had made. He also removed Maacah his mother from
being queen mother, because she had made a horrid
image as an Asherah; and Asa cut down her horrid
image and burned it at the brook Kidron. But the high
places were not taken away; nevertheless the heart of
Asa was wholly devoted to the Lord all his days."
King Asa began his race powerfully;
He tore down pagan altars and sacred pillars;
He removed his grandmother from being Queen and
He destroyed her idol
He fortified his cities;
He commanded Judah to seek the Lord, the God of
their fathers, and to obey His law.
We cannot ask for a more impressive way to begin
ones race. Even his mother felt his zeal; her idol she
had built was broken down and burned.
Asa was on fire for the Lord. Oh that each of us had
such zeal such passion for our God.
The story continues in 2 Chronicles
When the Ethiopians came up against him, with an
army of one million men and 300 chariots, listen to Asa
in 2 Chronicles 14:11; "Lord, there is no one besides
You to help in the battle between the powerful and
those who have no strength; so help us, O Lord our
God, for we trust in You, and in Your name have come
against this multitude. O Lord, You are our God; let not
man prevail against You."
So the Lord defeated the Ethiopians using Asa and the
army of Judah.
Asa and his army were out numbered 2 to 1 but Asa
we not going to stand for anyone offending God and
the Lord was with him and his army prevailed.
So often we begin the race with enthusiasm and with
righteous indignation against those who would offend
God. We are full of zeal and our eyes are set on
heaven. There is no one like an on fire for God
Christian. If only we would remain that way.
Asa began the race well but during the last lap he
faltered and fell. When Israel came against He and
Judah, instead of seeking the Lord's strength.
Asa took all the silver and gold from the temple and
bribed a pagan king to protect him.
The same silver and gold he had brought into the
temple he took and gave it away. He began to falter
when he began relying on his own wisdom and
reasoning. A prophet was sent to him to correct him but
he put the prophet in jail.
Before God was the helper now man was the helper
Before He rested on God now he rested on man
Before he fought in God's name now he fought in his
own name
Faith of yesterday can't be placed in a deposit box and
used today. We must build our faith for today. Asa
neglected to keep in contact with God. He neglected to
maintain a deep relationship with God and with this he
became as men would without God:
He became confident in his own power.
He became too proud that to listen to God.
He became lost!
Asa relaxed. He became complacent with his
relationship with God. We cannot afford to do the
same. Too many people figure that they have been a
Christian for so long they have become professionals
now and don't need God's help to finish the race.
Whatever we do we must never become complacent in
our relationship with God. We must never relax when it
comes to race in life.
The victories that God has led us through must humble
us. As we draw near the finish line we must be careful
of this guy call pride because he can cause us to lose
sight of why we are running the race. Pride can cause
us to believe we have done this by our own power.
The last lap is never easy, it is the most perilous lap in
all the race. Jesus himself said in Matthew 24:12-13
"Because lawlessness is increased, most people's love
will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, he
will be saved."
How we run the last lap is to a large extent dependent
on how well we have prepared.
We must be determined, focused and persevere so we
don't easily give up. We need to fortify our minds with
the Word of God.
His promises must come easily to our minds as we
struggle through this last lap.
Remember His promises such as;
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Him who
strengthens me.
Hebrews 13:6 "The Lord is my helper, I will not be
afraid. What will man do to me?"
Romans 8:37 "But in all these things we
overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us."
Isaiah 40:31 "Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain
new strength; they will mount up with wings like
eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk
and not become weary.
John 14:1-3 "Do not let your heart be troubled;
believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's
house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I
would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.
If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again
and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you
may be also."
Romans 8:38-39 "For I am convinced that neither
death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things
present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height,
nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to
separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ
Jesus our Lord."
And I could go on and on. For every situation God has
provided a word for us but we need to have it in our
heart for our time of need.
If you are already running a good race with
perseverance congratulations and remember:
With TRIALS, we grow stronger in faith.
With FAITH, we move closer to God.
With GOD, we can do all things.
Keep the FAITH!
If you feel as though you have faltered in this last lap or
perhaps you have never even started the race by
having a relationship with Jesus Christ, I have good
news. You can fix that today. If you have faltered God
is calling you to get back into the race. If you have
never had a relationship with God you can start today.
It's not how long the race is but how you finish.
Let's finish strong. Amen!
