The Beginning and the End

Friends of Faith:

This is not harsh, this is mercy. It seems so complicated, and yet it is so simple.

For God was. The Beginning and the End—AND everything in between.

In the beginning, God made us.

“The LORD God formed man out of the clay of the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life,  and so man became a living being.” Gn 2: 7

We were tempted. Everything “in between” is a choice. Heaven or earth. God’s way or man’s way.

At this, Jesus said to him, “Get away, Satan! It is written: The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve.” Then the devil left him and, behold, angels came and ministered to him.”Mt 4:1-11

In the end, Jesus saved us.

“Through one man sin entered the world, and through sin, death, and thus death came to all men, inasmuch as all sinned. For if, by the transgression of the one, death came to reign through that one,
how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of justification come to reign in life through the one Jesus Christ. In conclusion, just as through one transgression condemnation came upon all, so, through one righteous act, acquittal and life came to all. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so, through the obedience of the one, the many will be made righteous.” Rm 5:12, 17-19

I know the beginning... I am a sinner. I know what I want in the end... I want to be saved. And I struggle, like all humans, in between, to make the choice to worship and serve God alone.

Even Jesus was tempted (three times), by Satan’s distortion and application of the words of the scriptures.

One: “The tempter approached and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread.” Mt 4: 3

Two: “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: He will command his angels concerning you and with their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.” Mt 4: 6

Three times: “Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence, and he said to him, "All these I shall give to you, if you will prostrate yourself and worship me.” Mt 4: 8-9

Jesus knew the whole story. Not just the beginning and not just the end. The devil tried to trick him with his own words, by three times taking His own words out of context. But Jesus knew the whole story, not just the beginning and not just the end. He knew that EVERY choice in-between was important.

“There are also many other things that Jesus did, but if these were to be described individually, I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written.”Jn 21:25 So, He left us His Church to instruct us and His Spirit to guide us.

I am called to Pray! to Learn! To Discern! And my choices will include being tempted to stop in-between. He gave me, He gives me, His son, every minute of every day, so that I can learn by my mistakes, be forgiven, and move forward to the end.

Merciful Father, You are slow to anger and great in Your kindness. Give me the courage and strength to withstand the temptations of this world and to have the desire to know You more. Thank you for the gift of grace which helps me to understand You more fully. The gift of Your words, spoken and unspoken, which give me the tools to move closer to You. And for the gift of Your Son, through the forgiveness of the cross, which allows me to look forward to You. Amen.

We have all begun. We all want the same end. We were put here to help each other through the in- between.

This is our Lenten journey—together in Christ,

Blessings,

Charlotte

In the Middle

Women of Faith:
Happy New Year!

I would guess that you are surprised that my subject is “the middle” rather than the “beginning:” for it is the beginning of a new year, the beginning of new resolutions, and even the beginning of a new tax season.

Remember the old saying: 'It’s how we live in the “dash” (19??- 20??) that counts?’

In the beginning ….with childlike faith we planned for perfect happy endings, for happiness and “honeymoons.”

And as Christians we all hope and believe that at the end of our dash we will be granted eternal life in heaven.

But the middle of life brings stresses, challenges, obstacles, loneliness, sufferings and even failures. And we are challenged to keep the same attitude as we had in the beginning: to live life in faith that He has control of the outcome, to TRUST in Him.

“Let what you heard from the beginning remain in you. If what you heard from the beginning remains in you, then you will remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that he made us: eternal life. …And now, children, remain in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not be put to shame by him at his coming.” 1 Jn 2:22-26

God tells us that as believers, life, the middle, will not be “perfectly happy,” that we will be persecuted for our belief in Him (Timothy 3:12); and that while we suffer we are supposed to “have peace” and “take courage” for “I have conquered the world.” (John 16:33)


The middle is about crosses: crosses which reflect His gift on the cross; about His will, not mine.

In the middle of life’s journey we are given choices, choices of trust and faith which are forced by sufferings, challenges, and loneliness, by new beginnings and untimely endings. I am given the choice to freely give love even when it is not given back; to pray rather than to complain; to accept responsibility for my actions rather than to blame others for what has happened to me or my family; to serve rather than to be served; and to chose God’s world rather than this world.

Do I trust God like a child trusts a parent or am I overcome by worry and fear?

Do I have an “attitude of gratitude” or do I expect rather than accept?

Do I choose God’s love in the middle, to love one another as He loved us (He died for us) and as He asks us to love: “love is patient, love is kind... it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick tempered, it does not brood over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth… it bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (Cor1:13 4-6)?


Do I make choices in faith: to keep my resolutions, vows and His covenant, even in the sufferings, so that my middle, my dash, will have “new life” at the end?

Dear God, May I always praise you even when things aren’t going my way. May the middle of my life say “faithful, courageous, peaceful and loving.” Thank you for the gifts that you have given me in the middle of the hardships to remind me of your presence each day. Amen.

Blessings in the middle of each of your decisions,
Charlotte