End or beginning?

"What the caterpillar calls the end of life, the master calls a butterfly." - Richard Bach

This lovely quote reminds me of the different view on life that God gives to us. The resurrection may have seemed the end to all the disciples, but to the Father it was just the beginning of the greatest miracle ever! I am challenged to view my life from the stand point of the Master and not from the world. What the world may call the end, God could be shouting 'let us begin!'

Job 8:7 - Your beginnings will seem humble, so prosperous will your future be.

Living in Grace

D3LM3

27b - When we don't know how it ends!

So what did the discples really think and feel on the day after Jesus' cruel death? As I read
Matthew 27:61 I picture a distraught group of ladies sitting and staring at Jesus' tomb, through the mist of their tear-stained eyes.

"Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb." 

What else is there to think at a time like this? Your friend and Rabbi lies a few meters from you, hidden behind a huge Stone boulder. You are so close to him, but still so far away.  Remember that they hadn't quite understood what Jesus meant by being raised to life. Perhaps if they had, then they would have been dealing with their sense of loss in a totally different way.

I always feel that we are so privileged to encounter the Easter story knowing how the whole week ends up. When you know the story has a 'Good News' ending you are much happier to go through the painful parts first. 

It is hard not to draw a parallel with Covid-19 at this point. As a planet we find ourselves on the "Saturday" of the Easter story. There is death, depair and disappointment all around us. 
We don't know how long lockdown will be. 
We don't know if the virus will impact our homes, schools, churches. 
We don't know if we will get salaries at the end of the month.
We don't know how many people will get sick.
We just don't know! 

Of course, decades from now, people will be reviewing history and they willl experience Covid-19 with different eyes - they will know how it ends and when it ends. This doesn't help us at all, except it puts us right back in the shoes of the first disciples. How will we react to the uncertainty of our futures? How will we trust in our Saviour, when he seems far away?

Friends, I do not have neat answers for us, execpt to note that this story has played out before. Darkness will be overcome by light.
Hope replaces despair.
Courage suppresses fear.

All we are asked to do is this: "Trust in the Lord your God. Lean not on your own understanding. In all our ways acknowledge God and he will direct our paths" (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Living in Grace
D3LM3 

The End - Ezekiel 48

The End!
Most books and movies finish with these two words ... THE END!
They can be words of completion or perhaps frustrating words that leave us seeking more.

As we come to the end of Ezekiel's work, we see that Ezekiel 48, doesn't conclude with the 2 words above, but rather with instructions for sharing of land. This chapter holds a few interesting things for us to note:

1. A special portion of land is left for the building of the Temple. It is to be in the centre - significant that God is to central in their community.
2.There are 12 gates into the City - one for each tribe of Israel. I have seen this as a way of including all people in God's City - they all have a place.
3. The name of the City is now to be known as "The Lord is Here!" (Ezekiel 48:35 - The name of the city from now on will be “The-Lord-Is-Here!”)

I like this kind of ending. Although our living situations are very different from the Israelites, it gives me the reassurance that God is here. We don't need to build a Temple to claim these words for our homes today.

The Lord is Here!

Living in Grace
D3LM3

In the end

"In the end we only regret the chances we didn't take." - Anon

As we come to the end of another year, let us reflect on the things that have happened and give thanks for God journeying with us. However, if we feel that we are living with a few regrets then let us resolve to take those chances in the new year. I am grateful that God allows us to have second chances. We may have missed an opportunity this past year, but let us not miss the NEXT opportunity that God sends our way.

Hebrews 3:14 - We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.
 
"I think the only advice I can give you on how to live your life well is, first off, remember... it's not the things we do in life that we regret on our deathbed, it is the things we do not." -  Randy Pausch

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/topics/regret