God's Endings to My Stories

I will magnify Myself, sanctify Myself, and make Myself known in the sight of many nations; and they will know that I am the LORD. Ezekiel 38:23

My daughter, a freshman at IUPUI this year, came home with a paper she had been given in her religion class. As she handed it to me she said, ”It will make you angry….it did me!” As I read it, I was struck by the arrogance with which the author defied the Word of God and the truths of Scripture. More than angry, I was amazed that someone could hold such a high view of their own opinion against the Bible. It caused me to realize how much I hold to the fact that Scripture is God’s Word and it will always stand higher than any person’s view. The bottom line is God’s Word is preeminent. If anyone contradicts it, THEY are wrong. If anyone ridicules it, THEY are gravely mistaken.

How refreshing and reassuring to come across Ezekiel 38:23 this morning. God reminds me of the end of the story! These words are to be spoken over the skeptics of any age. I may not always see it evidenced in the here and now but God WILL be magnified, sanctified, and known by both His children and His enemies. What an awesome thing to take in!

God knows how easily we can grow weary or tired in the battles. He knows the harsh words of critics can sting. He knows the things we read, hear, and see can attempt to chip away at the foundational truths of our faith. So numerous times in Scripture He gives us reminders of His victory.

Wouldn’t it be interesting if each time we read a story from the Bible we read the ending first? God always has the last word and it is a good one! Someone might be saying, “Yes, but there is no ending written for my own story yet.” Oh, yes, dear one, there is! Ezekiel 38:23 is one and so is Romans 8:28, “We know that all things work together for good!” What we so often fail to remember is that God, in eternity past, already “wrote” the endings of all our stories. Each circumstance we face, if we are His child, already has a victorious ending scripted for it by the One who will be magnified, sanctified, and known!

Father, I do not know all the details but I trust You to bring about the ending of every story of my life! Your words are truer than any words spoken by others. Amen.