Aristotle once said, “Well begun is half done.”
Friend, let me ask—how has your year been thus far? Has it been a good January thru June? Has it been productive? Have you grown in faith? Are you doing more for the Lord now than you were then? Do you care more now for your brethren than you did half a year ago? Is your knowledge of the Bible greater now than it was in January? If it’s been a good beginning, wonderful! You’re only half done!
Yesterday (July 2) was the halfway mark of 2022. Half of the opportunities to meet with God’s people on the first day of the week this year are gone. Did you take advantage of them? Were you present with the saints as much as possible, and seeking to elevate their faith and magnify the name of God? If yes, wonderful! But you’re only half done.
Half of the opportunities to faithfully return unto the Lord a portion of what He has and will bless us with through this year are gone. Have you made good use of these opportunities? Have your giving habits been a help to the Lord’s work? If yes, wonderful! But you’re only half done.
Half of the year is gone, and thus half of the time in 2022 which is available for us to share the gospel message with those who do not know the Lord is gone with it. Have you made a good effort to share your faith? Indeed, the Lord’s will is for us to share the message of salvation with others, that all might come to faith and obedience. If you’ve shared your faith with folks you’ve met, wonderful! But we’re only half done.
Half done. Things that are half done need to be completed. A car repair that is only half done leaves us with a car that won’t go. A school examination that is only half done leaves us with no hope of a passing grade. A chicken that is half done is a sure way to get salmonella. Anything that is only half done is one half short.
Anything that is only half done is one half short.
Friend, let’s enter the second half of 2022 with a focus to do all we are able to for the Lord.
- Determine to be at every assembly of the saints. God expects you to be there; your brethren need you there; and you will benefit from being there.
- Give as you ought. The Scriptures do not give us a set percentage which we are to give. The Lord commands us to determine in our heart, and give accordingly. Be sure that your heart is right when making such a determination, and that you give as you ought. Don’t allow your lack of giving to be a hindrance to the work of the Lord’s church. How does your giving on Sunday compare to your dining out bill through the rest of the week?
- Display your love for souls—tell people about Jesus. Do your friends know you are a Christian? Your neighbours? Your family? If not, why not? Do you carry with you and invitation or card to encourage someone you might bump into to study the Bible? Don’t use a lack of knowledge or a lack of ability to teach as an excuse. You can say, “Come out and study the Bible.” You can ask someone if they’d like to have a private Bible study. Set up the study and there will certainly be someone available to teach it.
2022 is half over. If it’s been a good first six months, great! Let’s make the last six even better. If the first six months have not been so good, if we’ve not done as we should, then let’s repent, pick ourselves up, and get busy in the latter half.
I don’t know whether we’ll have the rest of 2022 or not. If the Lord gives it to us, then we will. If not, then no. life doesn’t come in six month blocks—it comes in single days, hours, minutes, seconds. Determine to be faithful in this moment, and proceed from there. A faithful year of service to the Lord is comprised of 365 faithful days. Let us be focused on today.
We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not
to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says: ‘In an acceptable
time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped
you.’ Behold, now is the accepted time; behold now is the day
of salvation. (2 Corinthians 6:1-2)
