On Fire to the End

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24)

Beloved,

The Olympics always begin with the Torch being carried into the stadium to start the games. The tradition began at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. The tradition originates from a Greek race which awarded the victory not to the one who finished the race first, but to the one who finished the race first with their torch still on fire. Former President of Moody Bible Institute William Culbertson said, “It is important to start right, but it is imperative to end well.” We end well when we cross the finish line of this life with the fire for Christ still ablaze.

Paul ends his letter to the Thessalonian church reminding them that our confidence to finish well does not rest in our own power, but the power of our great God. Paul writes, “May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely…and be kept blameless to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” God will sanctify us completely and will keep us to the end. Remember Jesus words,

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.

Beloved, no one is powerful enough to snatch you out of the Lord’s hand because He is greater than all. He who calls us is faithful and He will surely do it.

            Let us fan the flame of our love for the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us labor to keep our hearts on fire for him always knowing that He who began a good work in us will carry unto completion until the Day of Christ Jesus.