Dear All,
In less than ten days, 2009 is over! It’s the end of the year. The
first decade of 21st century is coming to an end. There is this verse
in the Scriptures that says: “The end of a matter is better than its
beginning…” –Ecclesiastes 7:8
Sometimes you wonder, how an end becomes better than its beginning!?
Well, many that I can think of. If coming from a very long trip, you
know that at the end of a trip is much better than the beginning. It
always feels so good to come back home and know that all the
travelling hours are behind us. Imagine a ship with all its cargo
coming from a far, the captain knew just what storms they weathered in
the trip. Sometimes I hear stories from seamen where they were in the
middle of nowhere spending nights without ever seeing the stars and
even days without the sun. After being away for a long period of time,
for them the end of the voyage is clearly better than the beginning.
Or, we can think of a soldier, going off to war. Is not the end of a
duty better than the beginning for him? How he longs to complete his
tour and be safely home!
One thing is for sure; the year 2009 is becoming part of history.
Another life year is quickly passing by which means we have one year
less to live! This year, perhaps you are mindful of opportunities
that you have missed, mistakes that you have made, or even regrets
that are hunting you. How you wish to go back in time! But it is not
wise to wish to go back in time. Be like that ship’s captain for a
moment. Would you really like to relive the storms of 2009? Maybe you
have undergone some physical storms, while others emotional storms,
would you really like to relive the pains. For some, maybe the
struggles were spiritual. Think of the arrows that the enemy has slung
at your faith this year are gone! They can never be used against you.
To be sure, he will sling more, but you have outlasted them. Would you
really like to go back and struggle with those temptations again? 2009
is going to an end and as a result you are older and maybe wiser for
having lived through it. The book of James says it better, “My
brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing
that the testing of your faith produces patience.” –James 1:2-3
Think of Jesus. Throughout His human life He was rejected and abused
and finally killed, yet now He is glorified in Heaven. The same thing
waits for us. The apostle Paul reasons with the Romans and says, “Now
if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,
knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more.
Death no longer has dominion over Him.” Endure tough times – hang on
to your faith, because we will also be glorified in the end.
The end is better than the beginning because now you can choose to end
those crippling hang-ups, bad habits and wrong attitude in your life.
Let me share you a story I heard of the little bird. He had his wing
over his eye and he was crying. The owl said to the bird, “You are
crying.” “Yes,” said the little bird, and he pulled his wing away from
his eye. “Oh, I see,” said the owl. “You’re crying because the big
bird hurt your eye.” And the little bird said, “No, I’m not crying
because the big bird pecked my eye. I’m crying because I let him.” We
can choose to end a life of being a victim… both from our own doing
and from the negative influence of others.
For me, GOD has used this year’s many events, opportunities,
experiences and even my own failures to help me grow. I hope the same
is true for many. It is not what happens that determines the major
part of our future. Whatever happens… happens to us all. It is what
you do about what happens that counts. Here’s the truth: we are freed
from our past! And the best part, the end is better than its beginning
because we truly can start all over again! A new beginning is coming
very soon to give us a fresh start again. The key is not to bring the
pains, faults and failures from the past… but to bring the new lessons
learned, the new wisdom acquired, and the new hope built into the
coming new year!
Lastly, here’s another thought — you cannot end what you have never
begin! Maybe there are wonderful plans and dreams that you have put
off for a long time now. You cannot end what you do not begin. As we
face the beginning of a new year, why not make a new beginning in your
life…
Merry CHRISTmas and a Happy New Year!
Get aLife,
-p.a. <><
