Knowing the end sure helps

I'll admit it, I'm a Portland Trailblazers fan. This year I'm trying to actually watch as many games as possible since I haven't done that for a long time.

A couple of weeks ago I was watching the game delayed on my DVR. Just a bit into the Third quarter the Blazers were down and they looked to be losing steam from earlier in the game. Just then I got a call from a friend who said, "Did you watch the Blazer game? Wasn't it AWESOME?!?". I could tell by her demeanor that the Blazers had finished well.

"STOP!!! Don't tell me anything about the game," I said, "I'm still watching it!"

She agreed, but I knew that it ended well.

Knowing the end makes all kinds of difference as to how you view the present. In the game, knowing that the Blazers won made the turnovers, missed free throws and missed shots much more bearable. In our present situation, with the economy way down and likely dropping further, it would be really great to know how it is going to turn out for us here in the US.

Unfortunately, we don't have the luxury of knowing what is going to happen in our economy. We really don't know what is going to happen with our nation. Many of my friends are disappointed in the President that our nation chose, and things just look down. And, frankly, for our nation, things might continue to get worse.

But that may be like watching your team implode in the last 8 minutes of a basketball game. If you know that they win in the end, all you're left wondering is "how are they going to pull this off?"

As I've been reading the book of Revelation recently, I have been trying to put myself in the position of its first readers: persecuted, having left home to find work outside the vast empire so bent on destroying all those who belong to your new-found faith. These families faced very real persecution every day. One of the empire's growing sports was watching these followers of Jesus get eaten by lions or be burned alive. How would it all turn out in the end?

Revelation 21: "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."

And he who was seated on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new."

Also he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."

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. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. "
(Rev 21:1-7)

Praise God that there is hope that is more sure than Wall Street. There is treasure that will not collapse no matter what falls around it. There is position that cannot and will not be lost. All heaven and earth may crumble, but we can stand steadfast and sure in the promise that God Almighty will be our God and we will be His sons. No one can thwart His plans, no one can stay His hand in accomplishing what He desires. And though we may not see it now, He says "It is done!"

Come, Lord Jesus.