Finishing Well

           Ephod which only the high priest wore.  

I began seriously reading and studying the Bible in my 30’s.  And the more I read, the more I realized very few people finished well.  They did great things…but then gave in to pride or other sins.  Gideon is an example.  

The Angel of the Lord found Gideon hiding in the winepress threshing wheat so the enemy wouldn’t swoop in and steal the food. (Think A Bug’s Life). He was called out, “Hail Mighty Warrior!”  His name means mighty warrior.  The Angel of the Lord told him, “Go in this strength of yours and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites.”   And he did through several valiant, miraculous battles.  But at the end of the last battle, the people wanted to make him king and he refused saying God was their king.  But in the next breath, he asked for their gold earrings and made an ephod and “all Israel played the harlot with it. It became a snare to Gideon and his house.”

How did he have valiant victories only to end poorly?  I believe it’s because he began depending on his own strength instead of God’s strength. Did he finally embrace who God created him to be (valiant warrior) only to overextend his strength?  Or maybe he began serving money instead of God. Either way…he lost focus.  

It’s imperative we stay in the Word and pursue truth to finish well. We have to fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.  We’ll fail when we think we’ve got everything under control.  

Let’s ask God to help us finish well!