Finishing Strong

Welcome to the New Year's Eve edition of Our Daily Bread. Our reading, titled Finishing Strong, was written by Wynn Kallier. At the age of 103, a woman named Mankauer competed as India's oldest female athlete during the 2019 World Masters Athletic Championship in Poland. Remarkably, Kauer won gold in four events, javelin throw, shot put, 60-meter dash, and 200-meter run.

But most astounding was that she ran faster than she ran in the 2017 championship. A great-grandmother running into her second century, Kauer showed how to finish strong. The apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, a younger disciple, of how he'd entered his concluding years.

The time for my departure is near, Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 4. Reflecting on his life, he confidently believed he was finishing strong. I have fought the good fight, Paul said.

I have finished the race. He wasn't confident because he'd calculated his impressive accomplishments or surveyed his vast impact, though they were immense. Rather, he knew he'd kept the faith. The apostle had remained loyal to Jesus.

Through sorrows and joys, he'd followed the one who'd rescued him from ruin. And he knew that Jesus stood ready with a crown of righteousness, the joyful finale to his faithful life. Paul insists that this crown isn't for an elite few, but for all who have longed for Christ's appearing. As we head into a new year, let's remember that Jesus stands eager to crown all who've loved him. And may we live to finish strong. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from 2 Timothy chapter 4 verses 1 through 8. In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge. Preach the word.

Be prepared in season and out of season. Correct, rebuke, and encourage with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.

They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. Let's pray.

God, we want to finish well. As we enter this new year, help us to serve you well with our lives, and love you more than anything or anyone else. Thank you, Lord. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Thanks for listening today. I'm Stephen, and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries. Happy New Year!