Echoes of an Unfinished Life

DEVOTIONS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

Echoes of an Unfinished Life

Some headlines do more than share information.  They shift the way we see life. 

The news of Charlie Kirk’s assassination struck with that kind of force.  A young father’s journey... his voice... his mission... was suddenly cut short.  What may be most unsettling isn’t just the tragedy of death, but the sense of incompleteness.  His work was only gaining momentum.  There was so much more he could have done.  More he could have said.  More life that should have been lived.

But even in the face of sudden loss, Scripture reminds us that unfinished stories still echo through time.  Hebrews 11:4 refers to Abel, who died at the hands of his brother, and yet “he still speaks” through his faith.  His life was cut short, but it wasn’t silenced. 

It’s an amazing part of God’s plan: even when a believer’s earthly story ends suddenly, their witness can continue to ripple outward.  Their faith, courage, and example live on in the lives they touched.  Beyond the influence they leave behind, God is at work.  The Author of life carries every story far beyond the final chapter we can see.

That’s why Paul could write with such confidence: “I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns” (Philippians 1:6).  What looks incomplete to us is never unfinished in God’s hands.

That truth has been deeply personal for me.  If you follow this ministry, you’ve read or listened to the teaching of my father, Dr. Dave Reid.  His earthly journey also ended abruptly in a tragic skiing accident 13 years ago.  The news was shocking.  He was so active in ministry.  There was so much more he could have accomplished.  But in God’s timing, nothing is random or accidental, and my dad’s teaching and influence live on in Talks for Growing Christians and the GCM website.  Praise the Lord!

Moments like these remind us of Scripture’s truth that our lives are fleeting (James 4:14), yet they also point us to a greater reality: our hope is not found in the length of our days or the measure of our work.  Our hope rests in the God who redeems every story, who carries every echo of a life lived in faith, and who brings every unfinished work to His perfect completion in Christ.

- Ron Reid