Not long ago, one of my good friends lost his father after a prolonged illness. Although I did not know this man on a personal level, I was listening to my friend tell about his father to me. He explained that the man was a good father, BUT he recounted to me of the man's avoidance in walking with God altogether. But as the man's illness began to incapacitate him, he realized his need for God in the short remainder of his life. As the days passed, the man grew weaker physically and the years of life not serving God had seemingly caught up to him. To a casual observer, one could think that God had forsaken this man and his final days. But during a family prayer on the man's death bed, he began to repent of the sin in his life and asked God, who it seemed had deserted him, for the saving power of the Holy Ghost to fill him. And God DID! He had already been baptized in the name of Jesus Christ earlier in life and was filled with the Holy Ghost a few short days before he passed on from this life. This life transitioned into another that will be filled with the endless day with the Creator, Savior, and Friend, Jesus Christ!
"You see..." my friend explained, "...during most of his life it seemed to never make sense to him. He could never find the joy that the Holy Ghost could bring him because he always tried to find it in a bottle or somewhere else. But when he realized he came as far as he could go on his strength, he turned to God!"
And while he said these things to me, I thought..."his end was greater than his beginning!"
Notice however, the only caveat is that the end will be greater only with Jesus Christ at the center of one's life can they truly embrace this promise! I've often thought if only everyone could realize the same golden opportunity that is available to has to make their "End greater than their Beginning!"
In the Bible, Job said that a man that is born of women is "few days and full of trouble". I guess that covers everybody, huh? We are trouble, and in trouble, and cause trouble...BUT God is not, nor shall He ever be, confounded by trouble! Moses, David, Job, and Peter all experienced inadequacy and failure during their life and ministry...i.e TROUBLE. Their failures could have defined them forever...but you see, their ending was greater than their beginning!
** Moses, after killing the Egyptian, went to the back side of a desert, heard the call of God at the Burning Bush, and became the leader God chose to lead the people out of slavery in Egypt!
**David, a poor, unregarded shepherd boy not even validated by his own father, was anointed to be king over the nation of Israel, failed with Bathseba, became known as one of the greatest kings in Israel's history and was instrumental in preparing for the Temple of Solomon to be built...by who else? Solomon...David's son!
**Job, who lost it ALL, endured physical affliction and anguish from his wife and peers, and was faithful throughout for God to bless him double and greater from his previous losses!
**Peter, who knew what it was like to hear and see the Master minister to the needy and unsaved, knew what it was like to hear the voice of God, denied his walk with Jesus! Through it all....through later repentance and remorse, became the mouthpiece to trumpet the Message of Salvation to the history of the World!
All of these experienced and could tell you today that their End was Greater than their Beginnings!!!
Whether we want to believe it or not, every soul will spend eternity somewhere. Heaven should be our destination focal point! A life free from the addictions to the flesh and sin can be anyone that desires that change towards God! Why not go about making the right decision and change your spiritual destiny...let God change your direction!
You too, regardless of your spiritual level or vantage point, can experience this great opportunity! All you have to do is give it to Jesus, surrender your life to Him, obey Acts 2:38...and watch God make your endings better than your beginnings!
