“The End is the Beginning”     Daniel 12:1-2

There is always a first for everything. There is always an end and a beginning. 

The end of grade school, the beginning of high school.  The end of high school, the beginning of college or higher education.  The end of college, the beginning of a career.  The end of winter, the beginning of spring.  The end of summer, the beginning of winter.  The end of a chapter, the beginning of a new chapter.  The end of bad habits, the beginning of new habits.  The end of the day, beginning of a new day.  The end of a career, the beginning of retirement.  The end of dept, the beginning of financial freedom.  The end of hanging on, the beginning of letting go…we could go on and on.  Sometimes what feels like the end is often the beginning.  The end of Jesus’ earthly ministry was the beginning of salvation!  The end of the cross, was the beginning of the church.  T.S. Eliot well said, “The end is where we start from.”

Ecclesiastes reminds us there is, “a time to be born and a time to die” (3: 2).  It’s not always how you start but how you finish.  I like good endings, I would imagine everyone does.  Sometimes we may have a vision for where we want to be, accomplish or how we want to finish but can’t seem to get started, we procrastinate or ‘life’ just happens.  It would be ideal to live out our lives with no regrets, but I would imagine that would be the exception not the rule. 

The bible encourages planning, transformative habits, prioritizing.  We all pretty much make time for what is really important to us.  C.S. Lewis, well said, “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”  I agree and disagree with this statement, as far as an “earthly” perspective.  Some goals have a shelf life in this life - but eternity has no shelf life and God has made us eternal beings.  God is a good God. He created the heavens and the earth.  He created light.  He created you and me.  He created us for a purpose and for eternity.  

You’ve heard the expression, “can’t see the forest for the trees” - meaning, we can be so focused on the details that we fail to see the big picture.  I believe prophetic books like Daniel are like that.  There are different interpretations of ‘last things’ and we lose sight of the big picture.  The big picture that Jesus is going to come back some day and and usher in eternity for all eternity.  What we know as life will end, and usher in the new life.  Daniel says, “…some who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”  Your eternity may begin before Christ comes back - are you ready?!

“For the wages of  sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” - Romans 6:23

“But you, go your way till the end; for you shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days.” - Daniel 12:13

“Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all  these things shall be added” - Jesus (Mt. 6:33)

“For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.” - Acts 20:27

Pastor Rodney