Unfinished Business

“I’m afraid we’ll always be a book with the end pages ripped out.”

Madisen Kuhn

  At age 99, Leo Plass received his college diploma from Eastern Oregon University. He’d stopped working on his teaching degree during the 1930s when he left college to earn an income in the logging industry. Seventy-nine years later, he completed the three credits necessary to graduate and resolve this important unfinished business in his life. Many of us can relate to Leo. Most of us have unfinished business. I know that I do.

  Are you like me? I feel like I can mark a day off in the “win column,” if my “to do” list is down to single digits. I don’t know what I’d do if it was totally cleared. No doubt that’s why Europeans have a saying they use to compare themselves to Americans: “We work to live but Americans live to work.” That describes many of us in a culture that values workaholism. 

  Some unfinished business is inconsequential. Other unfinished business is very important. If left undone, it will leave a lingering sense of regret. We all have them.

  Forty years later I still remember that two weeks before my Mom was killed in a car accident, I’d told her that “I hated her!” Sadly, I never apologized. After she was killed, those were the words that came back to haunt me. Yet, it was too late to ever say I was sorry. While I know that I’m forgiven by God (it’s why Jesus died…to clean up all of our sin messes). And I know that my Mom would not hold it against me. She was one of the most gracious, forgiving individuals I’ve ever known. Yet, it would have been freeing for me to know there was no unfinished business.

  It’s one reason that Scripture gives this warning about anger that we’d all be wise to heed: Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger” (Eph. 4:26). Like most couples, Jane and I periodically fight. Yet, we’ve worked very hard in our 35-year marriage to not go to bed angry or to leave each other’s company with harsh words. Life is fragile. None us knows when it will be the last time that we see that person alive.

  If you have unresolved issues with those you love, I’d encourage you, if possible, to resolve any unfinished business. We need to keep short accounts with God when we sin and we need to also keep short accounts with each other when there have been angry words or actions.

  Most of us focus on the wrong list of unfinished business. Sometimes it’s referred to as a “bucket list.” Do you really think that anyone comes to the end of life and are so thankful that they visited Disney World? While it might be nice to see the world, I doubt that they’ll show pictures of you in front of the pyramids or the Colosseum when they put together your last slide show. The next time you’re at a funeral, you’ll find a common theme in all of the pictures – people, lots of people, mostly family and loved ones.

  All of us will have unfinished business. The Bible acknowledges that and gives very valuable instructions that we’d do well to heed when we leave our unfinished business: Prepare for the next generation.

  One of my heroes in Scripture is Joseph. Though Joseph had been a prime minister in Egypt and could have had a pyramid built in his honor. Yet, as he was on his deathbed, he looked forward in faith and instructed that when the Israelites went home to the Promised Land, that they’d take his bones with them. 430 years later when they left Egypt, they did.

  As much as you can, complete business that will help those who follow you to know Christ and have a relationship with Him. That’s what Joseph did. His bones reminded them that God had promised to give them a land, that Egypt was not their home. This world is also not our home. God has a “land” waiting for us. Let’s prepare for the next generation by doing all we can to help them be fixed on and live for the real world.

  Then, as much as we can, we must seek to resolve the unfinished business of broken relationships. Recently, the Lord answered one of my prayers. I had a broken relationship with someone and I wasn’t sure how to go about mending it, but the Lord wonderfully took care of it. It was so fulfilling!

  Some broken relationships aren’t mendable. Scripture acknowledges that. The Bible instructs us though that we’re responsible for taking care of our side of the jagged relationship. Romans 12:18 says, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.”

  Too many times I’ve met individuals with the unfinished business of bitterness. It’s impossible to be bitter and be a healthy Christian. Sometimes bitterness is an indicator that the individual does not truly have a relationship with Christ. That’s the point of the parable of the unforgiving servant found in Matthew 18 and repeated succinctly in Ephesians 4:31-32.

  When one has been forgiven of so much in the Courts of Heaven as every born-again Christian has, how can we rationalize being unforgiving for the wrongs done against us in this life, no matter how heinous they may be?

  We’re all going to leave this life with unfinished business. It’s inevitable. Please though, as much as you possibly can, make sure that there’s no unfinished business in your relationships. Bitterness always takes its greatest toll on the one who carries it.

  Most of all though, please make sure that you have no unfinished business between you and God. God the Father sent His Son to die for us so that the broken relationship between us caused by our sin could be resolved.

  Salvation and God’s forgiveness are a free gift (John 3:16) that God wants to give every person. He wants our business with Him to be finished so He can forgive us and welcome us Home. If you have unresolved business between you and God, please come to Christ’s cross and let God heal your unfinished business with Him once for all. Do it today. None of us assurance of tomorrow. 

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address.