Beginnings and Endings

One of the many things we can appreciate about the Bible is that it’s such an honest book. It gives us its heroes, flaws and all.

In its pages we find the stories of those who started out with so much promise, but then became spiritual casualties in the race of life. Then there are those who started with little to no promise but finished surprisingly well.

Nicodemus comes to mind. In John 3, we read that he came to see Jesus at night. He went incognito, wanting to have a private conversation with the Lord. Maybe that was because he didn’t want to be seen.

We might criticize him for that. But in the end, he came through. Let’s remember that in everything, there must be a beginning.

Nicodemus turned out to be one of the bravest followers of Jesus Christ. When the body of Jesus was taken down from the cross, Nicodemus went with Joseph of Arimathea to take it away. He also brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes for the burial. He stood up for Christ while His disciples were in hiding.

Some people had a great beginning with Jesus, only to deny Him later. For example, Judas Iscariot started out with promise, but we know how his story ended.

Then there are those who had a good start, looked as though they were goners, but later made a comeback and got back into the race. King David was one of them. Like Gideon, he was plucked from obscurity as a shepherd. God raised him up to replace King Saul, and for a while, David was the greatest king in Israel’s history.

The Bible describes him as a “man after [God’s] own heart” and “the sweet psalmist of Israel” (1 Samuel 13:14; 2 Samuel 23:1 NLT). But then he laid his eyes on the beautiful Bathsheba. He committed adultery with her and then tried to cover it up. And ultimately, he had her husband, Uriah, murdered on the battlefield.

It looked as though David was going to follow in the steps of Saul and also play the fool. But he repented and got right with God. He was able to get back into the race and became a picture of someone who ran, fell, and got up again.

Peter is another man who started out with great promise, handpicked by Jesus Himself. Sure, he had his blunders. But throughout the public ministry of Jesus, Peter was there.

But then Peter denied the Lord. Afterward, he went out and wept bitterly. And then he came back, and he got right with God. In the end, Jesus recommissioned Peter, saying, “Feed my sheep” (John 21:17 NLT).

God wants every one of us to finish our race. He wants every one of us to win the gold and fulfill our ministry. The question is whether we want to do it. Do you want to cross the finish line? If so, you will. And if not, you won’t. It’s entirely your choice.

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