Month 6: Halfway

You are going to die.  I don't mean to get you down, but its true.  Sometimes I think we don't think about that.  Or worse, we all assume that we are going to complete every task, impart every piece of wisdom to our children and grandchildren, pay off every debt, do just enough "good" and gently fall asleep in our mid-to-late eighties and wake up on a puffy-white porch on a cloud with a white-bearded God who will smile and say "welcome...we've been waiting".  It doesn't always work like that.  So once you have realized that you are going to die (a known fact), then ponder this question- have you already reached your halfway point of life? (an unknown fact).  Have you lived more days on this earth than you have left to live?

The point is, none of us know our lifetime halfway point.  But if we want to finish strong, we should always assume that we have passed it.  The alternative is to continue living like we have decades left to accomplish everything.  The latter usually ends up with mountains of procrastination and unfinished projects and deeds.

I'm halfway through Water for Water 2013.  I know I can make it to the end, but do I want to just "make it" or do I want to finish strong?  In every long run, the halfway point is a significant step for me.  I mentally grasp the fact that I have less to run than I have already run.  Knowing that, I speed up.  Almost all of my races/runs of over 10 miles result in a slightly faster second half than first.  It is because I know the end is nearer with every step.  See where I'm going with this?

Take the story of Terah, Abraham's father.  We only hear a few verses about him in Genesis 11.  What we learn is that he uprooted his family from Ur and set out towards Canaan.  But he never made it.  He reached approximately the halfway point (Haran) and he "settled there".  I wonder how many blessings of life Terah missed out on by stopping halfway instead of finishing his journey in the promised land?  We all know the historical pillar his son went on to be, but how much greater could Terah(and possibly Abraham?)'s life have been if he had continued to completion that which he was being led by God to do? What blessings did he miss out on?

Finish strong.  Live life like you are past the halfway point because everyday is a gift and you never know when your days on earth will end.  Run strong towards the finish line, experiencing the intended blessings for you along the way and when you reach the finish line, it won't be a puffy cloud porch you'll be resting on, but rather in the fold of Christ the King in perfectly restored community.  Forever.  The first six months of this year have been some of the greatest days of my life.  Now I'm going to start speeding up and finish 2013 as one of the best years of my life.  Won't you run with me?