Hi this is Joni Eareckson Tada, welcome to Joni and Friends.
And welcome to the beginning of a new week – this past weekend my friend Judy and I were doing some shopping, and we closed the afternoon out by heading to Barnes and Noble. Always for a cup of hot Starbucks coffee and a newspaper, but basically to browse for new books -- we love to spend time in bookstores. I usually head for the history section, or the section that has art books, and then I might move to the children's department. From there I like to glance at cookbooks. But no matter where I wheel in the store, I always know where I can find Judy. She loves mysteries.
Now, I may purchase a book if I like how the dust jacket reads, or if I know the author, or if I’ve read a good review or so-and-so has written an endorsement. But Judy decides to buy books by reading the last few pages. Why anyone would want to read an ending first is beyond me. How can she enjoy it when she knows how it will all come out‑‑especially a mystery! When I asked Judy where she picked up her peculiar reading habit, she told me that, for her, the suspense wasn't in the conclusion, but in how the writer handled the story. Knowing the ending just enhanced the book.
Well, Judy is not alone. Listen to this Scripture in Isaiah 46, starting with the 9th verse, which says: "I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please." Right there, God says He makes known the end from the beginning. In fact, He's even written in the Bible the very last chapter of history. Like Judy, we already know how it all turns out. And I think God makes the end known because He wants to encourage us. He doesn’t want us to be fearful. There’s no need to worry – He’s given us not just a sneak preview, but He’s laid it all out right there in Scripture, we know how it’s going to end… and it’s good!
It’s also very good of God. The story of our lives is enhanced when we have the assurance that all will turn out well. God wants us to know this from the very first chapter of our lives. And get this: The ending of your story has been declared from the beginning and it reads this way: Jesus wins! Not the devil, not your circumstances, not that cancer or my spinal cord injury – no! You can have assurance that it will all turn out okay. It’s going to be okay! God is not leaving you and me in suspense about the conclusion of our lives. We have every confidence that it will be cloaked in His love and it will include heaven – and friend, you could not ask for a happier ending than that!
And lest we forget this wonderful lesson, (and since we’re talking about books and endings of books), I’d like to give you something you’ll really enjoy reading – it’s a booklet I wrote entitled God's Word, My Home. You see, the Bible has made all the difference in my outlook toward my wheelchair and God has constantly taught me how to see the importance of His Word through everyday experiences. And I put some of these experiences in this little booklet God's Word My Home. Just visit me today at joniandfriends.org and ask for your free copy, or you can call toll-free 888-522-5664. And don’t forget: His purpose is that you rejoice in the happy ending He has written into the story of your life!
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