Psalm 61:8 (NIV) – “Then will I ever sing praise to your name and fulfill my vows day after day.”
You know what it is like to cross the finish line. It may be from Field Day as a kid. It may be when you finished your taxes and dropped them in the mail. Perhaps it was when you crossed the stage for graduation and received the diploma you worked so hard for. Completion of a task, especially one that challenged us, gives us a sense of celebration and satisfaction.
Many of you accepted my challenge of God’s Guarantee the first Sunday of March. You listened to God’s invitation in Malachi 3 that we were invited to test Him by giving Him our tithe first and watch to see what He does in response to our faithfulness. He agreed He would open the floodgates of Heaven. You agreed to do that for 90 days.
For the many of you who accepted that challenge, you have now completed that 90 days. You have fulfilled your commitment, or as the Psalmist said, “fulfill[ed] my vows.” You have crossed the finish line. I would ask you to reflect on what happened. Did God provide for you? Did He open unexpected sources because you responded to Him in faithfully? What blessings did you receive? How did He grow you? How did your understanding of God change?
It is my hope that you experienced victory and courage from discovering how reliable God is. Of course, His mercy is new every morning. You have taken the first steps of a new area with God. You have stepped out in faith and seen Him respond. But what now?
Upon reflection of this experience, what new steps of faith does He have before you now? What new race is He challenging you to journey with Him? We are on a journey of many steps, many mini-races.
Hebrews 12:1-3 (NIV) – 1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. [italicized emphasis is mine]
Run your race!
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