Words from the Rock
Then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from all over the world—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.
Matthew 24:30–31 NLT
You’ve probably heard that all good things must come to an end. Sometimes that sounds a bit dismal. Say you’re celebrating a special birthday and it’s been so amazing—the best day ever—and you really, really don’t want it to be over. Unfortunately, there’s not a thing you can do to stop the day from ending. When midnight comes, that’s it. When it’s over, it’s over. The end.
Maybe it’s kind of like that when you think about the earth coming to an end. Maybe the thought of this planet’s last day leaves you feeling a little concerned—or even totally freaked out. After all, there are some pretty cool things about the earth—hopefully you appreciate and enjoy them. Maybe you love a particular snowy mountain that’s great for snowboarding. Or you might love the ocean, the sound of the waves tumbling in one after the next. Or perhaps there’s a particular tree that means a lot to you, or you like the way the grass smells after it’s been cut. You can’t picture all of that just coming to a screeching halt—end of story.
Can you remember how you felt as a little kid? Maybe you didn’t want your childhood to end; you didn’t want to grow up. But time passes . . . and suddenly you’re old enough to drive and do some other pretty cool things, and you realize you wouldn’t go back to being a five-year-old for anything. The ending of one good thing led to the beginning of something far better.
God’s plan for the earth to end is so there can be a new beginning. And God’s new beginning will be way better than what has just ended—far greater than anything you can imagine!
My Prayer
Dear God,
I’m so glad I can trust you with endings and beginnings. Help me not only to be ready but also to eagerly anticipate whatever you’re bringing my way.
Amen.
Final Word
Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
2 Corinthians 5:5 NIV
Stone for the Journey
When God ends something, he begins something even better.