Beginning to End

"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last." (Revelation 22:13 NKJ)

All of us at some time or other probably have experienced beginning something and not completing it to the end. Take writing a book, for example. We hope to make it known to the world, but somewhere along the way, something happened that requires us to abandon our writing permanently. How would we feel? What if, as an employee, we have worked extremely hard on a project, and just when we are ready to launch the end product, we are told by our boss that the project has been abandoned? How would we react? Do we blame God for not letting us achieve what we have set out to accomplish, or do we see it as God's way of molding us in preparing us for His purpose?

Over the past few years, God has been teaching me what it means to do my best, and let Him do the rest. Whether as an employee or a freelancer, I have on many occasions experienced incomplete projects fulfillment and business deals falling through. Although through the process of it all, I have gained new insights which in themselves deserve some small celebration, it was the lesson on not expecting things in our lives to go our way that is most precious.

Many of us live our lives believing that ‘what we do is what we will get in return.’ Although there is much truth about reaping what we sow, and being rewarded when we do good or punished when we do evil (2 Corinthians 9:6; Galatians 6:8), it is ultimately God Who will decide what is best for us. Moses' life is a good example of what this means. He went through the wilderness as a shepherd before he was ready to do the work of God, even though long before that he felt up to it to do the task as a prince.

The Bible teaches us not to run a race without aim, but to run in such a way to win the prize, so that we ourselves may not after having preached to others, become disqualified (1 Corinthians 9:24-27). We are to "run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:1b-2 NKJ).

Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last (Revelation 22:13). What we need to understand therefore is our purpose in this journey on earth, not the destiny or the end of the journey, which God must decide for Himself, His will for us to fulfill (1 Corinthians 3:6-7). Our part is therefore to play our role, to learn what we need to learn as we are molded for God's purpose, and to leave the result and outcome to Him.

Dear Lord, teach us not to question why certain things in lives do not go the way we want them to go, or why we do not get to reap the rewards we worked so hard to receive while we are here on earth. Stir in our hearts Lord and cause us to understand the role we are to play in Your will, while journeying here on earth. Help us Lord to run the race till the end of days, as we day by day continue to gaze on You, the Author and Finisher of our faith.