Finishing strong
The story of the Chinese bamboo is remarkable. Once you plant it, it requires being watered and fertilized but at the end of one year, nothing springs forth from the ground. You continue with the process of watering and fertilizing and still, at the end of the second year, nothing comes forth from the ground. It is only after the fifth year that something shoots forth from the ground but the amazing thing is that this small shoot grows to a height of 80 feet in just 6 weeks.
2 Timothy 4:7 NKJV
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
How many of us would keep at it even when it seems like we are not making any progress? Would you keep running your race even when you seem to be running into one opponent after another? Paul the writer of 2 Timothy had his share of roadblocks. He was whipped shipwrecked stoned in prison among many other things and yet he was able to get to a place where he was sure that he had finished his race and he finished strong.
Despite the challenges and roadblocks we experience you and I have to remain faithful to run our race and to finish strong. Like the Chinese farmer, we have to keep watering our bamboo plantations even though for 5 years we see nothing coming out of the ground.
One comforting thing is that we are not running this race alone God is with us and the promise he gave is that he will never leave us nor forsake us, even when we are faithless he remains faithful.
Keep your focus remain faithful run your race to finish, remember it’s not a sprint, it is a marathon.
