Those words reverberated in the ears of the older minister as his son exhorted him. We would all do well to take heed to such encouragement. The Christian life can be more likened to a marathon rather than a sprint. God desires for us to finish well. Many begin the Christian life with great enthusiasm, but finish the race limping and some even crawling. God's desire is that we finish strong, running with endurance.

The author of Hebrews gave us the key to finishing the race of life well when he wrote, "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. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Heb. 12:1,2 NIV).

We begin the Christian life looking unto Jesus. We continue it looking unto Jesus, and we can only conclude victoriously looking unto Jesus. Every step of the way we have to walk and live by faith. Men and women of old were victorious because they trusted Jesus to be their victory. They didn't have any special secret formula that caused them to be victorious. Their victory came from looking to Jesus as their Source of strength. Paul struggled with sin. Abraham succumbed to fear. David jumped into the arms of lust. Peter denied the Lord. All of them fell. But all got back up and walked by faith. They finished the race.

We must look to Jesus in the beginning of the race. In fact, we can't even begin the race without looking unto Jesus. That's where the Christian life begins. Then, it continues by looking unto Jesus and trusting Him. We are to trust Jesus daily for our victory in the same manner through which we came to Christ. That's the secret to victorious Christian living.

But we must also purpose in our hearts to look to Him, not only as the Author and Sustainer of our faith, but also the Perfecter of our faith. We must long to hear those words, "Well done, thou, good and faithful servant." Jesus was faithful unto the end. Our commitment to Him must also be "unto the end." The Christian life is much more than an experience. It's a way of life. Early believers were called followers of "the Way." When they came to Christ, they adopted a whole new way of life. Often that way brought hardships and difficulties with it. Nevertheless, they were on a journey and were determined to complete that journey. Some were fed to lions. Others were burned at stakes. But they looked unto Jesus. They finished well.

As another year comes to a close, why don't you spend some time placing your focus upon Jesus. Look unto Him. If there is anything unlike Jesus in your life, then confess and allow God to cleanse you of it. Look unto Jesus. Ask God to work mightily within you to conform you into the image of Jesus. Begin this next year more like Jesus than you began this past year. Look unto Jesus. Determine that you will finish the race looking unto Jesus. Say good by to this year and hello to next year by looking unto Jesus.