“Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof; and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.” (Eccl 7:8).
Lord, this is my cry today! Beginnings are good and should be thorough but the end of a thing normally overshadows it’s beginning… if the end of a matter is bad, it is the only impression men carry away… if the end is glorious no matter how terrible the beginning was… it is also the final impression men would go with…
Lord, the end of a thing is better than the beginning thereof… my prayer today is that may I end my race well and in your very will!
The end of a thing is current… while the beginning is obscured as history… Several kings in Israel started well, laboured hard but their end was in backsliding and compromise… Several preachers started out gloriously and moved their generations for God but their end was in shame and shambles. They spoilt their entire course of life with a bad ending.
Dear Lord, this is a passionate plea - I want to end well! I want to end still in communion with thee. I want to end in wisdom; I want to end still humble and simple! I want to end at thy feet
The end is more crucial than my beginnings. How I end my race is more important than all the intervening years. It is the final legacy and the cap stone on all my labors, Lord help me to end well. But I found a wisdom springing forth in my heart this day!
What is the end of the matter? It is the last and the latest, that action I perform last before I am called away. It means any point can be the end…
To end well, I must improve on my last action. Each new step must improve, surpass and exceed the last step. I must progress and add on what I did previously. My personal walk with the LORD today must be more intimate, more holy and purer than what it was yesterday. Never must I sleep if where I put the stop is less than what it was previously.
Any point can be the end of a man’s life...
Any point can be the end of my ministry…
Any ministration can actually be the end of all my ministrations…
But then, there is the END you have earmarked for me to reach before I end. Let me not end until I have ended my race dear LORD!
As you delivered my LORD from premature death (abrupt-ending), so I plead for thy mercy today, that I also be granted thy grace to finish my task and finish it gloriously in Jesus’ name.
Lord, while I cry for an expected end, I must learn this principle of ending well; it is the “Principle of daily increase”.
Daily increase in faith, love and purity
Daily increase in humility and integrity
Daily increase in obedience, submission and loyalty to my Lord
Daily increase in my service to the Lord and his church
Daily increase in my watchfulness and my communion with the Lord
Daily increase in my spirit and in wisdom
Lord, help me to grow in grace Day by day; help me to die to the world and its toys daily, that I may experience daily resurrection.
This is the only way I can hope to end my race gloriously and to finish my course better than I began it several years ago
Concentration on the past achievement leads to poor ending. I must forget what is behind once I have another new day in which to live. I must press on for what lies ahead if I hope to end well!
LORD, help me as you helped Paul of old. May I never focus on my past achievement, while there is a present challenge I must pursue. Let my past only be my footstool on which to climb up into the next stage of thy purpose for me. In Jesus name. Amen
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