Every story begins with
ONCE UPON A TIME
that takes you to the very beginning~
whether you are watching it on the big screen or little screen
or reading it on the first page of a book
or in hearing the cries of a newborn.
ONCE UPON A TIME
is the perfect beginning to every STORY,
but isn't the STORY really about what happens after those 4 words?
Or is the STORY really about what happens on the very last page of the book
or right before the movie credits begin to scroll on the screen~
THE END.
IT IS FINISHED.
IT IS COMPLETE.
There is no going back.
So final isn't it?
It doesn't matter whether you like or dislike the ending,
there is nothing that you can do to change it once
THE END has been written.
ONCE UPON A TIME when the crying words
"IT IS FINISHED"
ended the agony on the Cross,
ending the beautiful manger scene of Christmas
when
ONCE UPON A TIME
JESUS made HIS first cry on earth.
From HIS first cry to HIS last cry
just to give each one of us
the perfect ending to our perfect beginning.
As we are all living in the middle of our stories~
all so different, yet uniquely tailored to each one of us~
doesn't the middle depend on the ending?
How would you live your day today
knowing your STORY
will end
not so good?
Would
fear & anxiety & frustration & despair be your companions?
How would live your day today
knowing your
STORY
will end
HAPPILY EVERY AFTER?
Would
PEACE & JOY & HOPE & LOVE
be your companions?
Think about it.
Just what if
"we have been born again, because GOD raised JESUS CHRIST from the dead"*
Would you
"live with great expectation"*
Because you
"have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay"*
Just because
"through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation,
which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see"
Just what if
you were in control of your THE END that will finish your STORY in the here & now?
What if your life depended on it?
Oh ONCE UPON A TIME
is not just the beginning of a childhood fairy tale~
because it is yours & mine & everyone elses.
Even though we are all living in the middle of different chapters with different characters,
yet
when we know that our STORY will
end
HAPPILY EVER AFTER
the moment
you & me & everyone else
make the choice to become
part of
HIS STORY~
"If you, __________ (put your name) declare with your mouth, "JESUS is LORD," and believe in your heart that GOD raised HIM from the dead,
______________ will be saved" (Romans 10:9)~
oh how we can live in the middle and
"So be truly glad"*
because
"There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while"*
Thank you GOD for being the author of our STORY
and thank you JESUS for being the finisher of our STORY
no matter what the middle may bring~
"All praise to GOD the FATHER of our LORD JESUS CHRIST. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because GOD raised JESUS CHRIST from the dead.
Now we live with great expectation..."
*(I Peter 1:3-6)