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 THE STORY
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.
But while 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
if you knew your
STORY
would 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?
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 & everyones!
Even though we are all living in the middle of different chapters
with different characters,
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,
______________, you 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"*
(I Peter 1:3-8).
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.
Therefore,
will you
LIVE TODAY~
this NEW DAY,
the first DAY of SEPTEMBER~
and make it be the
NEW BEGINNING
of how you
LIVE this LIFE that GOD has given you.
A LIFE that is the
FIRST DAY OF THE REST OF YOUR LIFE,
because IN CHRIST your LIFE never ends.
Get Ready. Get Set. Go.
Today is
"DAY ONE"
(listen to the song below)
"
Comments