When I first started reading chapter books as a kid, I used to skip Chapter 1 because I had somehow gotten it into my head that the first chapter was just an introduction, or a preface, and not necessary. It’s amazing how stories made so much more sense when I took the time to read from the beginning!
Perhaps just as important as the beginning of a story is its ending. Confession time: Have you ever cheated with a good novel and skipped ahead to read the last chapter? I don’t usually like spoilers, so I don’t skip to the end … with one big exception. The last part of the Bible, Revelation, is one of my favorites. It was actually a vision (a “revelation”) presented to the apostle John. It is heavily symbolic and can be difficult to read; parts of it are pretty bizarre.
What I love about Revelation, though, is that it is the last chapter in the book of humanity that God is writing. Jesus is the main character, and we are all supporting actors. No matter what challenges I may be facing in life, I know that Jesus is at the center of the story, and – spoiler alert! – the plot summary says that we win! Christ the sacrificial Lamb is at the very center of God’s throne (Rev. 7:17), and he will reign victorious over sin and death forever and ever.
One really terrific thing about the Christian faith is that we don’t have to wait until the last chapter to enjoy the story. We can walk in confidence each and every day, knowing that our God – the Creator of the universe and Healer of our brokenness – is active in us and through us. He wants to be the center of our lives, not only at our last breath when we’ll see him face-to-face, but even right now in our comings and goings, in the midst of our trials and triumphs. We are part of his story!
faith, sweat & tears 