Today we are finishing up the Conference in Cluj.  This morning Baruch spoke about Finishing Well.  The texts were 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles and we studied the life of King Josiah.  Josiah became king at the age of 8 years.  He did that which was what right in the sight of the L-rd.  If you study the text, you will find that he asked for an accounting of the silver collected at the Temple, that it might be given to the workers to repair the breaches of the House of the L-rd.  In the process, they found “the book of the law” and brought it to Josiah, where Shaphan the scribe showed to to the King and read it to him.  When Josiah heard the words, he rent his clothes.

After that, Josiah removed the idolatry from Israel and caused Israel to keep the Passover which hadn’t been kept since the days of Samuel.

However, there came a day when Necho, the king of Egypt, heard from the L-rd G-d of Israel to attack Charchemish, by the Euphrates River.  Necho told Josiah that he had heard from G-d to do this thing, but Josiah didn’t believe him.  So, King Josiah went out to fight against Necho and Josiah was killed.

Josiah brought renewal to the people.  He turned the people back to the laws of G-d.  Yet, he ended up dying because he didn’t believe G-d had sent someone to kill a mutual enemy.

I Corinthians 9:24 states, “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize?  So run, that ye may obtain.”  When does one receive the prize?  At the end of the race.

Unfortunately, we hear of too many people, many who have even been in ministry, who have done great work for the L-rd, only to fail in the end in some way; whether it be moral, ethical, or otherwise.

Here are some questions we should contemplate.  Do you know G-d’s expectations for your life?  Are you in His will?  Do you need to make changes?  Let’s continually seek G-d’s will in our lives so that we may run the race in such a way as to win the prize and truly live a praiseworthy life…all the way to the end.  Shavuah Tov!