In my younger years, I grew up living a very ordinary life, being dominated by certain fears that caused me to stay in the safe zone and underestimating how much God wanted to do in and through my life. I didn’t believe in myself because I never felt that anyone had ever believed in me. I expected my future to be an extension of my past.

But the year 1979 was a defining year. I married Sue, the love of my life, and the first person who understood the potential that lay within me and believed in me. In addition to that, I had a growing awareness of the fact that God had created me for a purpose and had entrusted to me spiritual gifts in order that I might achieve that purpose.

Early one morning, in my personal Bible study, I heard the voice of God speak out my life’s purpose when I read, “He is the one we (I) proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we (I) may present EVERYONE fully mature in Christ. To this end I strenuously contend with ALL the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.” (Colossians 1:28-29) From that moment my life was changed and to add to that word I soon came to realise that God had entrusted to me two spiritual gifts, leadership and teaching.

I couldn’t do everything, but I could fulfill the calling God had on my life with the spiritual gifts he had given me. My purpose was to help people realise their full potential and help them understand that because they were the salt of the earth and the light of the world, they were called to be people of influence, leaders in the world in which they lived. As I look back now, it was no surprise that very soon after that defining moment with God, I received a phone call from a Baptist Pastor 800 kilometres away who asked me to join his leadership team and serve as Pastor of Youth and Young Adults. My life at that point was radically changed and weeks later, in fear and trembling, Sue and I ‘burnt our bridges’ and travelled to our new appointment with nothing more than a deep sense of calling from God to serve Him for the rest of our lives.

In his book, The Last Arrow, Erwin McManus writes, “I am convinced that EVERY human being has a unique calling on his or her life – that each of us was created with intention and purpose. And I am equally certain that most of us underestimate how much God actually wants to do in our lives and through our lives.
……….The Last Arrow is a call to never settle about what God wants to do with your life. You have to know what matters; you have to know who you are; you have to know what your life is to be given to. For in the end, the one thing where you must never settle for less is the CALLING that God has on your life, the PURPOSE for which He has created you, the IMPACT He has designed you to make in the world.”

Paul writing to the Ephesians said, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.” (Ephesians 2:10) For some years I stopped reading after the words, “He has created us anew in Christ Jesus” and never took seriously the words, “…so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.” I wonder if there are people reading this paper who like me were ignorant of the fact that God has created you for a purpose. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you about the calling, the impact and purpose God has for your life.
Paul describes our life on earth as a race that has been set out for us to run; hence the title for this paper, “FINISH THE RACE…..marked out for YOU.” Near the end of his life he could triumphantly say, “As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. I have fought the good fight, I have FINISHED THE RACE and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me- the crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge will give me on the day of His return. And the prize is noy just for me but for ALL who eagerly look forward to His appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:6-8)

The more I am advancing in my senior years, the more I long to say at the end of my life, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race and I have remained faithful.” To do this it is of great importance that we know the following three things.

1. WE HAVE A CALLING MARKED OUT FOR US
   God has a calling on your life and God has given you spiritual gifts to enable you to fulfill that calling (Romans 12:6). How sad it would be if you came to the end of your life not knowing that God created you for a great calling, or worse still, having known that calling and not having the courage to live out that calling and ultimately live with regrets.
2. WE MUST SURRENDER OURSELVES TO THIS CALLING
   There will be many subtle and not so subtle reasons why we may try to sidestep God’s calling on our lives. One of the great dangers of losing sight of our calling comes when we compare our calling with the lives of others known to us. Often it happens because their journey may not involve living such a painful and costly life as the one we will be required to live. The story of Peter’s encounter with the resurrected Jesus by the sea of Galilee provides us with such a situation. Three times Jesus asks Peter, “Do you love me?” and then He tells Peter he will be crucified for his faith. Jesus then calls to Peter, “Follow Me.” Peter responded by looking to the disciple John, and said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?” Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow Me.”
   We must wholeheartedly focus on the calling that God has planned for us and not compare our calling with others.
3. WE MUST COMMIT OURSELVES TO FINISHING THE RACE THAT WE STARTED
   “When Jesus hung on the cross, in the final minutes of His life, He uttered one word that has been translated into three, ‘It is finished’. There is no more profound example of a man who left nothing undone, who held nothing back, who gave everything of Himself and gave Himself completely. Though it was a tragic death, there’s something beautiful about the moment; being able to whisper with your last breath one word that lets the world know you did exactly what you were born to do. In that moment, death has no power, death has no victory. There is no regret – only a deep sense of fulfillment.”
   Erwin McManus The Last Arrow

I am inspired by Paul’s triumphant words to Timothy in his last recorded letter as he comes to the end of the race marked out for him. “For I am already being poured out like a drink offering and the time of 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.”
(2 Timothy 4:6-8)

I close this paper, FINISH THE RACE….marked out for YOU, with a challenge for where you are right now, to persevere and never lose heart no matter what the cost might be. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance THE RACE MARKED OUT FOR US, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:1-3)
Both Jesus and Paul finished the race marked out for them. May it also be recorded of you that you were able to finish the race marked out for you.