Have you ever read a verse from the Bible only to have the words jump off the page and prick your heart? Well that’s what happened to me on April 21 – the day after Easter celebration– as I read Acts 1:3. It says: “After the suffering and death of Jesus, he presented himself to the people and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.
The people witnessing the passion week of Christ – including the 12 disciples and close friends – felt the crucifixion was the demise of Jesus. But they were in for a surprise! Just when they thought it was all over – just when they concluded there was no hope – just when the words “The End” shouted loudly in their ears and minds – Jesus revealed himself! In other passages of scripture we are told He revealed Himself to not only a few but to over 500 people during a 40-day period.
Imagine Moses who was one of the greatest leaders in history. He led his nation to freedom but along the way, he confronted a sea. With the Red Sea in front of him, enemy soldiers behind him and two mountain ranges on each side – there was no place to run. Surely the words “The End’ came to his mind.
Think about Abraham and Sarah who desperately wanted a child and were promised they would have one. In their old age they surely thought it would never happen. They too, must have heard the words “The End”.
When I was sixteen years old my mother became very ill. A year later she had passed on. That was a difficult season for the whole family and especially hard for a teenager like myself. Even though the doctors did everything within their power, they confronted a battle that they would eventually lose in the physical realm. She died in the year of 1969 at the age of 53 years.
When death happens, a myriad of emotions make you feel like you’re on a rollercoaster. At times you experience deep pain because of the loss but then, out of nowhere, a sense of great joy may arise because you realize how special that person has been to you personally.
Even in death God has a surprise. For those who believe in Him, physical death is not the end but THE BEGINNING of a new season with God. Death is a fact of life but there can be a surprise ending!
Maybe that’s why Jesus said in John 14:1-3, “Don’t be troubled (afraid). You trust God, now trust in me. There are many rooms in my Father’s home, and I am going to prepare a place for you. If this were not so, I would tell you plainly. When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.”
Simply stated, you don’t need to be troubled or ruled by fear when everything around you screams it’s ‘The End.’ Why? Jesus has prepared a surprise ending. God has a plan for you and it is a good plan. From God’s perspective, the end is really an opportunity for a new beginning.
Maybe you are at a point in life where everything looks dark and the future is bleak. Possibly you have felt this could be the end for you. If I could be so bold – may I suggest there might be a Surprise ending in store for you?
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