In 2 Timothy 4:7, Paul says, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
Second Timothy is thought to be Paul’s last letter he wrote. Chapter 4 is the last chapter of the last letter. He would be martyred just a little bit later. So he is, in essence, giving a farewell message.
And as he reflects on his life, he says, “I fought a good fight. I finished the race.”
What Paul says here goes at odds with what we are often tempted to do as we get older. It is easy for us to strive for rest and relaxation. Our ultimate goal in America is to retire wealthy so we DON’T have to work. Yet what Paul says is counter cultural. He fought until could fight no more.
It’s no accident that Paul equates “life” as a fight and race.
Culture says, “Relax! Enjoy yourself!” Your flesh says, “Take it easy! Do what YOU want!” Yet God tells us, through the words of Paul, “Keep fighting! Don’t give up until you cross the finish line!”
We only have a set number of years and then it is over (at least in this form). And because of that, we should not waste the life that God has given us!
J. Oswald Sanders was afflicted with arthritis so bad that he could hardly get out of bed. He could have taken a nice retirement. Instead, he used his retirement to help others.
At age 50 he left a prosperous career as an attorney in New Zealand to lead the China Inland Mission.
After several years of leading the mission he retired again, only to take on the directorship of a Christian college.
He later retired again. But rather than taking it easy, he accelerated, spending his last 20 years speaking around the world over 300 times per year. He died at the age of 89, working on a book.
Now I don’t share this story to say, “You must do that!” Instead, I share his story as an example of someone who recognized they were in a fight.”
I don’t mean to imply you can never relax and retire. There’s a place for relaxing. There’s a place for not working in a vocational job. But even when you retire from these things, you can still live intentionally as a Christian. You see, as a follower of Jesus, there is NEVER a place for completely slacking off because he has given all of us a mission.
As Paul and J. Oswald Sanders show us, let’s live this life like it is a race/fight. Keep pressing on with the mission Jesus has given you until he calls you home.