2026 Mar

Finishing Strong.

Nehemiah 6 reminds us that it’s not only how we start that matters— it’s how we finish. Nehemiah wasn’t a prophet or a priest. He was a civil servant burdened with the reproach of Jerusalem’s broken walls and gates. God placed a holy assignment on his heart, and Nehemiah obeyed. He gathered a team, cast a vision, and worked tirelessly. After six long weeks, the finish line was finally in sight. Yet right before the victory, he faced his fiercest temptation— to quit. His question still echoes across the centuries: “Should such a man as I flee?”

The last lap is always the hardest. Many start well; far fewer finish well. In Nehemiah 6, the enemy launches one final assault, hoping to derail him before completion. But Nehemiah held onto two convictions that kept him steady.

First: Don’t be distracted into a detour. Stay focused.

Sanballat tried to distract Nehemiah and invited him to a place called Ono— a detour disguised as diplomacy. But Nehemiah refused: “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down.” Detours still call to us today—distractions, lesser priorities, some things that pull us from the best things. Focus is a spiritual discipline. When God has given you a task, don’t sidetrack.

Second: Don’t retreat under the enemy’s intimidation. Stay faithful.
Intimidation sought to frighten Nehemiah into hiding. Again he answered with courage: “Should such a man as I flee?” Faithfulness means staying on course when quitting feels easier. Our generation knows escapism well, but discipleship is not escape—it is endurance.

Scripture and life both teach us this truth: winners are decided in the final stretch. The last holes of the tournament, the final minutes of the match, the final argument in the courtroom— finishing strong makes all the difference.

And no one finished stronger than Jesus. With the cross before Him, He declared, “I have finished the work.” And with His dying breath: “It is finished.”

Stay focused. Stay faithful. Finish strong. Your Lord stands at the finish line, arms open. Keep running toward Him.