2 Timothy 4:6-15: a reflection

6For I am already being offered, and the time of my departure has come. 7I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith. 8From now on, the crown of righteousness is stored up for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day; and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved his appearing. 9Be diligent to come to me soon, 10for Demas left me, having loved this present world, and went to Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia; and Titus to Dalmatia. 11Only Luke is with me. Take Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service. 12But I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. 13Bring the cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus when you come—and the books, especially the parchments. 14Alexander the coppersmith did much evil to me. The Lord will repay him according to his deeds. 15Beware of him, for he greatly opposed our words.

Near the end of his life, aware that his death is close, Paul looks back over his course with quiet confidence: I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith. From now on, the crown of righteousness is stored up for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day. He does not boast, but he can say, at the end, that he ran his race to the finish and kept faith; and he looks forward to the crown the Lord will give. He finished faithfully, and the reward was ahead.

Notice Paul's aim, achieved: to finish the race faithfully, keeping the faith to the end. He does not measure his life by ease or worldly success, but by whether he ran his course to the finish and kept the faith; and at the end he can say he did. His race had been hard, a good fight; but he finished it, and kept faith all the way. And beyond the finish, he looked to the crown the righteous Judge would give, not to him only, but to all who have loved Christ's appearing. The goal was to finish faithfully, and the reward awaited those who did.

That aim, to finish the race faithfully, is worth making our own, for it is easy to start well but hard to finish. Many begin the race of faith, but the aim is to finish it, keeping the faith all the way to the end, as Paul did. We can grow weary, or drift, or give up before the finish; but Paul ran his course to the end, and the crown awaited him. Set your aim not merely on starting or running for a while, but on finishing the race faithfully, keeping the faith to the end, as Paul finished his course. Keep the crown in view, the reward the righteous Judge gives to all who finish faithfully and love Christ's appearing, and let it strengthen you to run your race to the finish. Aim to say, at the end, with Paul, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; run faithfully all the way to the end, with the crown in view, rather than starting well but failing to finish.

Lord, near the end of his life, aware that his death was close, Paul looked back over his course with quiet confidence: I have fought the good fight; I have finished the course; I have kept the faith; from now on, the crown of righteousness is stored up for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day. He did not boast, but he could say, at the end, that he ran his race to the finish and kept faith; and he looked forward to the crown you will give. Show me Paul's aim, achieved: to finish the race faithfully, keeping the faith to the end. He measured his life not by ease or worldly success, but by whether he ran his course to the finish and kept the faith; and at the end he could say he did. His race had been hard; but he finished it. And beyond the finish, he looked to the crown you would give to all who have loved your appearing. Help me make that aim my own, for it is easy to start well but hard to finish. Many begin the race of faith, but the aim is to finish it, keeping the faith all the way, as Paul did. I can grow weary, or drift, or give up before the finish; but Paul ran his course to the end. Help me set my aim not merely on starting or running for a while, but on finishing the race faithfully. Help me keep the crown in view, Lord, the reward you give to all who finish faithfully and love your appearing, and let it strengthen me to run my race to the finish. Help me finish the course and keep the faith.