Finishing Well

I believe the Holy Spirit has been speaking to me the past few weeks!

A week ago, a couple of my dear friends and met to walk!  We try to meet weekly when our schedules permit!

These walks include us chatting and discussing a wide range of topics!

Often we share our hearts…our concerns…we chat about our families…share prayer requests and so much more!  And we end our walks in a time of prayer!

It has become a very special time of fellowship with dear friends to me!

As we were talking last week, we got on the topic of spiritual warfare and discussing how this was taught when our children were in the youth group at church!

I was reminded of how much we prayed and when we felt there was a battle going on around us, we knew to fight those battles on our knees!

I pondered this part of our conversation after our walk.

This was the first area that I felt a stirring in my heart that was coming from the Holy Spirit!

If I am honest, I felt convicted!

I need to be on my knees…praying and interceding for so many things going on around me and in this world!

I need to be spending more time in prayer!

So, this was the first area that I felt God was speaking to me.

A few days later, my daughter-in-love, Rachel, called me to tell me that Dr. Nord had passed away.

Dr. Nord delivered all four of her babies and two of my daughter’s babies!

He was a Godly man.

Each time he came in after the birth of one of their children, I was blessed by his gentle spirit and was thankful that he was a praying man, praying with the family before each baby was delivered!

Dr. Nord was a tall man; I believe he was 6 feet 8 inches tall.  And I often thought of him as a “Gentle Giant”.

He served faithfully at Eastview Church.

For 23 years he traveled to Haiti on medical mission trips, often going more than once each year.

Dr. Nord passed away in his sleep…quietly and peacefully…just as he had led his life.

After haring this news, I thought of his man all that day!  I thought of his family and prayed for them!

Dr. Nord was serving God faithfully the day that he passed away.

And as I thought of this Godly servant, I felt God tugging at my heart again!

How are you living your life, Tammy?  Are there areas you could be serving more faithfully?

Are you coasting right now?  And I felt that Holy Spirit conviction again?

What more should I be doing during this season of my life?  Where do you want me to serve God?

I continued to pray for Dr. Nord’s family throughout the weekend and the next several days as loved ones said good-boy to husband, father, grandpa, doctor…devoted servant.

The Sunday after Dr. Nord passed away, my oldest son sent me a link to Eastview’s sermon.

Their pastor was discussing Caleb, who was a great man of faith who followed God with all his heart, and their pastor read the following verses during his message:

“But my fellow Israelites who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt in fear.  I, however, followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly”…Joshua 14:8.

So on that day Moses swore to me, ‘The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance and that of your children forever, because you have followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly”…Joshua 14:9.

Caleb followed God wholeheartedly.  He followed closely behind God.  Where God went, Caleb went. 

Pastor Baker continued, if you want to finish well…finish strong, you need the following:

·      Conviction of the Heart.  Regardless of what everyone else believes, you have to know that you believe God is who HE says he is.

·      Holding on to the promise.  Those who finish strong know and remember the promises of God.  The promises are going to come true.

·      Live strong in the now.  Caleb was still ready to go to war, even in his older age.

“Now then, just as the Lord promised, he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the wilderness.  So here I am today, eighty-fiver years old!  I am sill as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then”…Joshua 14: 10-11.

People who finish strong...live today!

Often, we do not live in the now. 

Some of us our living in the past! 

Some of us our coasting in this season of life. 

Others live in the future…when I get married…when I have kids…when I retire…when I have more time, etc. 

Caleb believed in his strength now.

At the age of 85, Caleb knew that God was not done with him yet.

We need to ask, “Lord, what do you have for me now?”

We need to ask ourselves…”Are we coasting, or are we finishing strong?”

The kingdom of God does not stop.

Noah received the challenge to build the ark when he was 500 years old.

Abraham was going to be the Father of many nations when he was 75 years old.

Moses was called to lead the people of Israel when he was 80 years old.

We are called to live and work in the now until God takes us home.

What is it that you are going to do for God until you pass away?

What does God have for you’re here right now?

So, I have been encouraged this past week to finish strong…finish well!

I want to do just that!

All of us have a finishers place!

So, I am praying…asking God…where do you want me to serve?  What is that I should be doing that I am not!

And Pastor Mike finished the sermon with this verse:

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have

kept the faith.  Now there is in store 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 longed for his appearing…

2 Timothy 4:7-8.

Loved ones…lets finish this race well!!