Finish the Job

"When Israel became strong, they pressed the Canaanites into forced labor but never drove them out completely" (Judg 1:28-29).

Have you ever hired a contractor to do some work and ended up having to spend time and energy to get him back to finish the job? The small unfinished projects simply irritate you and create ill-will between you and your contractor. If you have been involved in a building project, you have surely had this experience.

God wanted his people to finish the job. He often told the Israelites to remove your enemies from the Promised Land. However, many times they would not finish the job and the remnant that was left would come back and create difficulties. In most cases, the people of Israel would intermarry which enticed them into their enemy's way of living. Other times they had to enslave them, which took time away from their mission.

Whenever we fail to complete a job it creates ill-will from those we are serving. It also violates a basic biblical mandate for every believer to do their work with excellence. The Bible says that Daniel and his friends did their work ten times better than anyone else. They were known for their excellence.

It is often said of American football that the hardest place to score from is the one yard line. That is because the defenses are greatest where there is the most resistance. Sometimes completing a job is like this.

Whenever you have a project to do make sure you complete the job fully. Go the extra distance to make sure your boss or your client is totally satisfied with your work. You may complete 95% of your work, but if it is not completed you will be known for what you did not finish, rather than for what you did finish.

By Os Hillman, taken from "Today God Is First

Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Isaiah 31-35
Old and New Testaments Together: Psalm 66-67 & Romans 8:1-21
Historical: Proverbs 27-29
Chronological: Nahum
Blended: Psalm 66-67 & Acts 23:16-35

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible