I attended the funeral of a young man whom many would say passed away far too early.
The service was somber in many respects but one that stirred my heart and touched me in an unexpected way. We sang one of my favorite praise songs during worship, but not one I anticipated singing in this setting. One statement in the bridge said, “I know how the story ends.”
Hopefully, we all know how the story ends. The resolution is coming, and it will be good. We will live with God again. According to Paul, death has lost its sting.
Death is difficult—no matter who has died or what the circumstances are. I think that’s because God did not create us with death in mind. His did not include mortality. Neither did He intend for the cares, anxieties, and sicknesses that resulted from sin to weigh on us physically and emotionally so that our bodies and minds collapse.
Unfortunately, our lives are under the curse of the Fall and, therefore, take tragic and devastating twists and turns. The plot is distorted, and we often wonder if the great Author has written a tragedy instead of a happily-ever-after narrative.
I have questioned that too, but then I heard myself singing, “I know how the story ends; we will be with You again.” Regardless of where we are in the storyline—and no matter how confusing and dire the circumstances—the grand storyteller is working out the details of the plot so that the ending is amazing, miraculous, and good. In His incredibly gracious way, God has allowed us to read the end of the story. And unlike with our favorite novel or mystery, knowing the ending doesn’t spoil anything. Instead, it gives us hope.
How does knowing the story’s ending change your life?
(Photo courtesy of pixabay and StockSnap.)
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Rick and Jane McKinney have lived an extraordinary life of ministry. Once described as “mavericks,” they have stepped out into the unknown to embrace God’s call and have experienced His presence in a way that only comes through a life of obedience. Whether planting and pastoring churches, traveling the world to perform concerts, building a house in Mexico, traveling from village to village in India, or walking across America, they have followed His voice as He led them forward, one step at a time. Rick spent fifty years pastoring churches in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Colorado, Oklahoma, and Kentucky. He also spent seven years in full-time evangelism. He now teaches Old Testament, New Testament, and Church History at the University of the Cumberlands. You can find more information about him at rickandjanemckinney.com.