Imagine your life as a story … a novel written for the world to read. If you were a book, where in the narrative do you currently find yourself?
Are you in the beginning? Are you still in the foundational chapters where you find out who you are and what struggles you are facing? Or, are you nearing the end? The big battles won or lost, days numbered, and falling action trailing off to the acknowledgements and footnotes of your obituary and memorial service?
Do you see yourself at the beginning or the end of your story? How you answer this question is important. If you see yourself at the beginning, there is time for growth and development – there is hope … but if you see yourself at the end, the concrete has already hardened, the die has been cast, and we are tempted to despair.
In truth, there are many moments in life where we feel like we are at the end: we make a series of bad decisions and we feel like we are at the end of our ministry, our marriage, or our friendships. We are living in a time of significant upheaval and we feel like we are at the end of our job or of the rise of our investment portfolio or at the end of a care-free life without cancer or health concerns. These trials and struggles may have you here today, on Easter weekend, wearing bright colors on the outside, but feeling grey on the inside.
If you find yourself struggling with a feeling of despair believing you are at the end of a story, let me invite you to come and worship the Risen Christ with us Sunday morning at Wildwood Community Church in our 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00 services. On Sunday we will look to John 20:1-18 to remind ourselves that because of the resurrection, we live a “new beginning” kind of life! The “new” that Jesus brings restores our hope and is available for all who trust in Him. Let’s remember the hope we have in Him together this Easter Sunday. See you there … and bring friends!
P.S. We also have services at Wildwood on Friday night, April 18 at 6:00 and 7:30PM. These Good Friday services will help prepare our hearts for Easter Sunday. See you Friday AND Sunday!