OCT. 18, 2013
The
End?
Read: 1 Corinthians
15:50-58
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ. —1 Corinthians 15:57
Everything
in this world eventually comes to an end, which at times can be disheartening.
It’s the feeling you get when you read a book that’s so good you don’t want it
to end. Or when you watch a movie that you wish would go on a little while
longer.
But
all things—good and bad—do come to “The End.” In fact, life ultimately does
come to the end—sometimes sooner than we expect. All of us who have stood by
the casket of a loved one know the painful emptiness of a heart that wishes it
wasn’t over yet.
Thankfully,
Jesus steps into the fray of terminal disappointments, and, through His death
and resurrection, He interjects hope for us. In Him “the end” is a prelude to a
death-free eternity, and words like “it’s over” are replaced by a joy-filled
“forever.” Since our bodies are not an eternal reality, Paul assures us that
“we shall all be changed” (1 Cor. 15:51) and reminds us that because of
Christ’s conquering work we can confidently say, “O Death, . . . where is your
victory?” (v.55).
So
let not your heart be troubled. Our sorrow is real, but we can be filled with
gratitude because God “gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ”
(v.57).
Lord, keep our eyes and hearts fixed not on the
temporary joys or disappointments but on the victorious
realities of eternity. Thank You for Your death and
resurrection that guarantee our forever future.
In Christ, the end is only the beginning.
Source: Our Daily Bread 2013
