The End
Tonight during our family devotions my husband read the story of David and Goliath. Our boys are familiar with this story and so we were all a little surprised when after reading a brief description of the giant Ben said "the end".
"What? That's not the end, Dad!" the kids shouted.
So Ben read a little farther, "'Send someone out to fight me!' Goliath yelled to the Israelites. The Israelites trembled. The End."
"That is NOT the end, Dad!"
I'm pretty sure my husband did not have some deep theological reason for doing this. He just happens to have a silly sense of humor and was enjoying the rise he was getting out of the boys - and the laughter from me.
"David put on the King's armor but it didn't fit. The End."
This pattern continued on until we reached the actual end of the famous story. As all this was unfolding I was reminded of John Lennon's famous quote - "Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end."
Friends, I'm not sure which words best categorize your current situation -suffering, pain, illness, disappointment, defeat, loss, rejection - but I AM sure that these are not the chapter titles that come at the end of great books. These middle chapters are sometimes hard, but we need them. The story of David and Goliath isn't nearly as gripping or helpful without the dangerous, looming giant. Goliath doesn't make the story bad, he makes it good. We only lose heart when we insert "The End" in the wrong place.
We do not know what stories the Author of Life will write with our lives but, spoiler alert, when we belong to God we can rest assured that the ending will be really, really good.
Phil 2:9-11
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Rev. 21:3-5
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."
2 Cor. 4:16-18
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
1 Peter 5:10-11
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.
Eph. 3:20-21
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
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