In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth—Do you not know? Do you not hear? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?…The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable—In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God—For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities–all things were created through him and for him…And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.

And he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised…. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly…The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance—And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new”…  And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.”

Who has done such mighty deeds, directing the affairs of the human race as each new generation marches by?  It is I, the LORD, the First and the Last.  I alone am he—But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in your hand—And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Gen 1:1 ESV; Is. 40:21, 28 ESV; Jn.1:1,2 ESV; Col. 1:18 ESV; II Cor. 5:15,17 ESV; II Pet.3:7,9 ESV; Rev 21:5-6 ESV; Is.41:4 NLT; Ps. 31:14-15 ESV; Phil.1:6 ESV

What are the implications of God being both beginning and ending of all that we are and all that we know?  Clearly our lives are His rightful domain.  Subjects of this King are in good hands for He is immeasurably mighty, incomprehensibly wise, and unimaginably good. The most blissful of fairy tale endings can’t compare to life in His coming Kingdom.  In the meantime, we can trust Him for the rest of the story when the page turn isn’t what we expected and when all our wishes are not granted, not yet anyway. 

While the world slides into rebellion and confusion (the two inevitably go together) we can know that God’s decrees are sure. Cultures and the individuals that shape them may flaunt or embrace God’s design, but they cannot escape its reality. There will be an accounting.  God will preside.  May our stories reflect the glory of life as He intended it to be in such a way that others will be drawn to bow to our Good King and find in Him a new beginning and an epic ending!
–LS