ARE YOU READY?

As we move toward the finish line of 2023, it’s so easy to get caught up in the activities of the season that we neglect some of our most important things:  our relationship with God and our relationship with people, especially our family and friends. The tendency is that we get so busy with the things “about” Christmas that we neglect the “whom” of Christmas. 

“Finishing Strong” is a term that implies an intentional effort to do our very best at the important things necessary to cross the finish line, whatever that may be, with no regrets. At the moment, that finish line is December 31, 2023. Will your finish be a crawl or a sprint? Will they need to resuscitate you, or will they celebrate with you? 

I’d like to suggest a key part of Finishing Strong in your relationship with God: PRAYER! Prayer is your vital life-giving connection with God. As powerful as it is when we do pray, it’s so easy to not pray. What should I pray for and about?   The simple answer is – Everything! But you can start by praying for your family; pray for your friends; pray our church; pray for our community; pray for our schools; on and on. 

Don’t forget to pray for yourself. Pray that God will open your heart to experience his love and grace so that the same Jesus whose birth we celebrate at Christmas will fill you with his joy (unexplainable), his peace (beyond understanding), and his life (everlasting). Like Paul wrote to Timothy (2 Tim. 4:7) “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”  

Let’s Finish Strong!