“But no one knows the date and hour when the end will be—not even the angels. No, nor even God’s Son. Only the Father knows.” Matthew 24:36 TLB
This week, one of our guinea pigs took her last breath. It came suddenly, without much warning. We had prepared in that we knew she was at a fairly old age for a guinea pig. We had walked two other guinea pigs through the transition to death not long ago, so when we saw a few signs we knew it was possible. But you always have a little hope that maybe that “end” you hope for will come, like the turnaround from an illness or dire circumstance; however, sometimes, the “end” isn’t what or when we expect. It rarely is really.
I started to reflect on “ends” in my life, in movies, in the Bible…. Some come when you expect them, right? If you are taking a course in college, you know the end date and that doesn’t seem to change; however, the course may start out going strong and a final exam or project may alter that “ending.” A holiday, may have a set date on the calendar; however, you may lose a family member or pet before it arrives making the day go a little different than planned. Maybe you plan a trip and lay out a great itinerary for the time you are gone, but there are many variables that may change and determine how your day, week, or visit ends. For in our hearts, we may plan our course….
But God…
“…establishes their steps.” Proverbs 16:9
Noah built and built that ark for a LONG period of time. Even he did not know the hour in which he would need to use it. I wonder if there were days he questioned if he ever would at all. Until the rain began and the world was changed forever. I bet the “end” was different than Noah imagined. Likely more devastating, in longer duration, and difficult. The idea of a large ark, likely made him realize a lot of water was coming his way but how would it come? When? How long? Where would he land? Would his family survive? So many questions unanswered (Genesis 5: 32-10:1).
Three years ago this past week, my boys and I moved to our current home. When the call to move came, I was filled with excitement. This was it, the move to the place I could raise my son’s into Godly men. Settle in, and see this life through. God had placed missional dreams in my heart and as I hung the wall decoration I have that states “For I know the plans I have for you…. Plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 I naively believed I was sitting in the hope and future we had been striving for. “Ah, home sweet home! Time to settle in, relax, and let the good endings roll in.” Nope.
In fact, the “endings” that started coming were a little harsher, stung a little more, left me a little more deflated, and to be honest, confused at first. Like, “Wait, what?” This isn’t how it was supposed to be? Aren’t the days of death, disagreements, rejections, betrayals, deception over? Shouldn’t it be smiles, laughter, sunshine, birds singing, and the occasional rainbow popping out now?
Instead it has been hard. Turns out raising boys into Godly men is difficult work. It means enduring suffering together. It means entering hard situations and walking out bruised, knocked down, and a little bloody sometimes. (I don’t mean literally (all the time, ha)) It hurts and it makes you weary sometimes. It also turns out when you are trying to build the Kingdom of God, it isn’t easy. You don’t get a lot of invitations and/or thank you notes for sharing about God, you often get ridicule, judgement, or “Go away” signs. He wasn’t kidding when He warned us about that:
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Matthew 5:11-12
I am not talking about going door to door with a Bible, but simply doing life with people who you share a faith with and trying to live it out together. You begin to realize, not everyone who “believes” actually believes and sometimes you meet an unexpected “end” that comes in the form of silence. And silence sometimes hurts more. When so much is left unsaid that could heal a situation or provide truth, yet the choice to say nothing leaves an end worse than death which provides at least a conclusion. Is it the “end” or is more to come you may wonder?
But God….
Is always working. In the silence, He provides reassurance to us that while we may not know the final hour of anything, while the “endings” we experience on earth may sting or not happen the way we hope, there is a day coming in which all things will be made right and we will “dwell in the house of the Lord, forever.”
“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for His name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
Psalm 23
Father, hold us close as we face endings on this earth that are difficult. Help us maintain our hope that when the true end comes that you will be with us and there is a beautiful future you have planned for us. Let us rest daily in that hope that the best is truly yet to come. Let us not grow weary of doing good. Help us persevere. Help us to keep fighting the good fight, keeping the faith, and with our eyes on the finish line. Thank you for sending the Spirit as our comforter. In Jesus name we pray, Amen
P.S. Today’s image is of my boys and I on an owl hike. I’ll be honest, I didn’t think we would see one, but the “end” of the night surprised me with the sighting of a screech owl just before we left the forest. You just never know what surprises may be in store, so just keep living your best life and God will keep showing up to encourage you as we finish this race together!
Father, Today I Surrender:
My Ends
Show me the next step I should take.