Monday, March 4 I do not make my soul of any account as dear to me, if only I may finish my course. —Acts 20:24. Paul was willing to sacrifice everything, including his life,in order to finish the Christian race. For Paul, all his efforts and hard work in connection with the good news would amount to nothing if he should somehow fail to finish the course. Yet, he was not self-assured, feeling that he would without fail win the race.(Phil. 3:12, 13) Only toward the end of his life did he say witha measure of confidence: “I have fought the fine fight, I have run the course to the finish, I have observed the faith.†(2 Tim. 4:7) In addition, Paul had an intense desire to see his fellow Christians finish the course and not drop out along the way. For example,he urged Christians in Philippi to keep “a tight grip on the word of life.†He continued: “That I may have cause for exultation in Christ’s day, that I did not run in vain or work hard in vain.†—Phil.2:16. w11 9/15 4:14, 15