At the end of church last Sunday, I shared a vision the Lord unexpectedly gave me. A man was in a used bookstore, trying to find a paperback novel a friend had recommended.
Finally, the man found the book. There was just one worn and raggedy copy in stock, but he decided to buy it anyway.
Sure enough, it was an enthralling story. Many ups and downs and plot twists, and the man fell in love with the characters.
However, when the end of the book came, the characters were still in peril and the plot was unresolved. “What a lousy ending,” the man thought to himself.
When he complained to his friend about this, the friend was stunned. “The ending was GLORIOUS! You must not have read the final chapter yet.”
When he compared his tattered copy to the friend’s intact copy, he discovered that the final chapter of the used book had somehow fallen off. No wonder the ending seemed so bleak and unresolved!
There’s an important point to this story, as I shared with my church: If we stop our story at any point along the way, it may seem like a dismal ending. But the story isn’t over yet. We just haven’t gotten to the final chapter!
Friend, this is such good news. If you don’t like how things are going in your personal story today, there may still be time to prepare for a new chapter.
GOOD FRIDAY
If Jesus’ story would have ended on Good Friday, it would have been a horrible conclusion. Yes, He had displayed three years of powerful ministry, bringing a touch of heaven to earth. He had gone about healing the sick, casting out demons, and raising the dead. He had walked on water, calmed storms, multiplied loaves and fish, and transformed lives through His teachings.
But on Good Friday, even His closest followers seemed to think Jesus’ story was over. When Mary Magdalene reported on Sunday that He had risen, they didn’t believe her.
Although the disciples knew Jesus had called them to be world changers, on Resurrection Evening they were huddled in fear behind locked doors (John 20:19-23). It’s understandable that these followers would be shellshocked at that point—but they just needed to turn the page.
Encountering the resurrection changed everything. From fear to faith. From hopelessness to abounding joy. From a shattered purpose to a fresh commission to spread the good news of Jesus everywhere.
Oh, the difference three days can make. If your life is still in a Good Friday season, I encourage you to keep pressing on. A new chapter may be closer than you think.
MY FINAL CHAPTER
I don’t want to startle you, but I’m now in my final chapter. After more than seven decades of life, I’m getting ready for my heavenly rewards.
Even though I don’t know the timing, I’m hoping to be like Enoch. He walked with God so closely that one day the Lord simply took him (Genesis 5:24). What a great way to go!
So, what is this final chapter like for me? To my great surprise, it has been GLORIOUS! More joy, more peace, and more impact than I’ve ever experienced before. Yes, there still are plenty of trials along the way, but I’ve enjoyed this year more than any other I can remember.
If you interview the close friends I’ve had during this journey, they could tell you about some years that clearly were NOT so glorious for me. I don’t need to go into details, but my friends could describe many painful chapters in my story.
As I reflect on this, I realize there’s a question we all must resolve at some point in our lives: Do our painful chapters mean God wasn’t faithful to us during those times? Should we conclude that He abandoned us in our darkest hours?
The short answer is NO, but this is a deep subject that can’t be resolved in a single blog. Although the apostle Paul could cite a long list of the horrendous trials he experienced (2 Corinthians 11:22-30), I love his conclusion: “Our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17).
ROUGH FINAL CHAPTERS
Not everyone experiences a glorious final chapter in their earthly sojourn. I have friends dealing with such things as dementia, chronic health challenges, financial strains, or disappointing relationships.
What is God saying to those facing trials like this in their waning years? I certainly don’t pretend to know all the answers, but here’s one thing I’ve concluded: Life on this earth is short; life in eternity is long. That’s how Paul could look past his “momentary light affliction.” He knew eternity was close at hand, bringing about a reversal of his earthly hardships.
This is wonderful news for a believer. Even if our final chapters on earth are difficult, the Bible has already described our true final chapter—our life in eternity. I’m ready for that, and I hope you are as well.
In the final chapters of the Bible, we’re promised an amazing “new heaven and new earth.” This is truly a glorious hope:
“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain…He who was seating on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!” (Revelation 21:1-5).
At my advanced age, I’ve concluded that life is a lot like a whitewater rafting ride, with inevitable rough waters along the way. Yet if we put our trust in the Lord and hang on a little longer, a wonderful outcome awaits us downstream.
Are you ready?
