Finishing Well Before God

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Verse: 1 Chronicles 23:5 

“and four thousand were doorkeepers; and four thousand praised the LORD with the instruments which I made,” said David, “to praise therewith.”

When David reached the closing stretch of his life, his heart turned fully toward God. The Scriptures do not portray an old king occupied with politics, securing his legacy, or resolving national disputes. Instead, they show a man who, sensing the nearness of his departure, asked himself a single question: What remains yet to be done for my God? His final concern was not his throne, but God’s house; not governmental matters, but the worship that must continue long after he was gone. So David organized the Levites, arranged the doorkeepers, appointed the singers, prepared the instruments, and set everything in order with a holy urgency. It was as though he felt that the last act of obedience offered on earth must be done with perfection, because it is precious in the sight of the Lord.

He could have spent his final days attending to mundane matters of the kingdom. He could have rested, withdrawn, or allowed others to take over. Yet his spirit sought something higher—he searched his life for anything left undone for God. With deep affection and emotion, David performed his last earthly obedience with a trembling devotion that said, “Lord, if this is my final chance, let me finish it well.” This heart is beautifully reflected in the words of verse 5, where he prepares four thousand for praise using the instruments he himself made. His last investment was not in himself, but in the worship of God.

God pays close attention to how His servants finish. Beginning well matters; running well matters; but finishing well—with a heart fully surrendered—is a fragrance that reaches heaven. The world around us reminds us daily how fragile life is. We cannot guarantee that we will join tonight’s prayer meeting, or see tomorrow’s sunrise, or complete the plans designed for next week. Every present moment is a hidden final moment. Every opportunity to obey may be the last earthly opportunity we will ever have.

We know from Scripture that worship continues in heaven. It is perfect, joyful, and eternal. And that heavenly worship is not passive—it is a living service. “His servants shall serve Him” (Revelation 22:3). There is obedience in glory, but it is a perfect obedience flowing from perfect hearts. Yet the obedience of heaven, though glorious, is different from the obedience of earth. In heaven there is no cost, no pain, no opposition, no waiting, no sacrifice, no dying to flesh. The worship-as-service of heaven is perfect, but not sacrificial.

This is why what we do for God now has a weight that eternity will never repeat. Earthly obedience is filled with cost, choice, battle, self-denial, and faith. These opportunities exist only here. Once this life closes, service continues—but not this kind of service. The unique, painful, precious sacrifices we offer today are our final earthly offerings. And because they cannot be repeated, they should be done with passion, accuracy, and wholehearted devotion.

So the question stands before each of us: How do we respond to the final opportunity that lies in our hands today? Do we delay, thinking tomorrow will come? Do we plan but never obey? Or do we pour ourselves into God’s will now, with the earnestness David displayed in his final days? Love hastens obedience; delay weakens it. Let us finish our present chance with the perfection of a heart fully given to God.

May today be treated as the final hour we have to honour Him. May our obedience this day be our best obedience. And may we, like David, end our earthly journey with a heart leaning fully toward the God who chose us in mercy.

Prayer:

Lord, teach me to treat each moment as my final opportunity to love You, obey You, and honour You. Help me to give You my best today, without delay or distraction. Let my earthly obedience be wholehearted and sacrificial, knowing these opportunities will never return. Strengthen my heart to finish well, to serve with sincerity, and to honour You with the fullness of my life. Let my last obedience whenever it comes be my best obedience. Amen.

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