The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"The Last Page of the Bible"
None of us can predict what the future holds for ourselves, our loved ones, or the world in which we live. Of course, believers in the Lord Jesus Christ have, as the saying goes, "read the last page of the Bible." Thus, we do know the ultimate end of all things.
"And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and His servants shall serve Him. And they shall see His face; and His name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true."
(Revelation 22:1-6)
Does knowing the final outcome of God's eternal purposes help us in knowing His peace about the prospects of our personal lives and future? Certainly, it does. Consider the uncertainty that would cloud our confidence if the Bible did not definitively address the ultimate end. Many people live without this assurance, not knowing the God who "worketh all things after the counsel of His own will" (Ephesians 1:11). They seek ways to cope with the uncertainty that can only be termed as despair about the future. Primarily, they attempt to ignore the prospect of a life that will end without hope, and certainly without peace. Conversely, Christians have confidence that eternity promises glories beyond anything we can presently imagine in the presence of One who will not only perpetuate our existence, but also perfect it. Such hope about forever meets us with assurance about today and tomorrow.
"The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me. Thy mercy, O LORD, endureth forever" (Psalm 138:8).
Our expectation of God's redemption of a vast creation gone awry through sin means He will be whatever we personally need Him to be in our future. He will be with us in all, of course. But He will be more than with us. He will be actively engaged in perfecting that which concerns us. This includes whatever the immediate future of today holds. God's devoted heart empowers His active hand that ever works to fulfill His particular purposes in our lives. We do not see most of what He is doing. Such knowledge far transcends our capacity to perceive and understand. However, the assurance we find on the last page of the Bible regarding the ultimate end - and beginning - of all things secures our confidence in our Heavenly Father's loving involvement in whatever we will find written on the pages of our personal future.
"And when all things shall be subdued unto Him, then shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him that put all things under Him, that God may be all in all."
(I Corinthians 15:58)
"Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ."
(Philippians 1:6)
Weekly Memory Verse
The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me. Thy mercy, O LORD, endureth forever.
(Psalm 138:8).
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