Acts 20:22-24

"And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace."

These verses jumped out at me and stirred up a couple of things within me. One is that I can't help think about my friend Grace and how this was what her life was about. Although she has gone Home to be with the Lord, her life has truly left a legacy and spurred those of us who knew her with a to desire to continue her legacy which was so similar to Paul's: "to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given...the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace." I hope my life will be about those things, too.

The second thing that was striking was the context in which Paul spoke about his aim in life (i.e. his mission). He was acutely aware that the process of him working towards finishing well/finishing his mission would not be easy--the Holy Spirit told him so! Yet even still he was dead set on (i.e. "compelled" to) completing the mission that God gave him. (In fact, he was already well on his way towards making his aim a reality; it wasn't just a desire, he was doing it! (Acts 20:25-35)). I can only hope this, too, will be true of me in my life; I desire to finish well...please keep me accountable to do so! =)