Finding the Way Home
The eNewsletter Archive

Below is the archived version of Marshall Hayden's eNewesletter "Finding the way Home." If you would like to be added to to mailing list, please send a blank email to evangelism-subscribe@worthingtoncc.org.

You may also view our archived articles here.

December 2008

What could be better than a fine finish?

This month, on Sunday mornings, we are going to talk about "finishing well."

It's an exciting prospect. For the last few years one of my preacher friends who has led a great, growing church and now has just retired at the age of 82 (which makes others of us look kind of weak) has been saying for several years "I want to finish strong." And he has. We've watched some wonderful Christians, too, who have come to the end of life with sweet spirits, solid faith, and great hope. The last year for some fine business leaders has been their best one ever. And a few wise athletes have changed careers at the top of their game.

This month we aren't just thinking about that kind of "finish," but the last month of the year offers us a chance to make sure that we are on track to wrap up one year and launch into the next with our heads on straight, our eyes on the goal, our energies focused on the best things, and our priorities in order.

It's a shame that Christmas can leave us frazzled and wrung out. The gifts have been given, the special events attended, our routines severely rearranged, and maybe a mess left to clean up. That's not the way that our celebration of the birthday of the king ought to be. How about this? Let's make it our goal to finish the year strong, ready for the freshness of the next round of meaningful relationships, personal growth, and eager service. That will mean looking at everything we do, the giving, the singing, the sharing, the planning, the listening, the loving, the encouraging, the preparations, and even the resting, not grudgingly or of necessity, not feeling "put on" or helpless, but with joy and with the determination that we will finish 2008 strong. If we do that we will love this Christmas season; and just maybe King Jesus will get an extra dose of honor.