You Don't Know the End of Your Story

    
    Everyone loves a good “show we met story.” I think we often focus too much on the beginning of a story and not the end. Take the following few people into consideration. Consider Job. When reading Job 1 & 2, we read the Lord describing Job as a “blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil” (Job. 1:8). In just the first two chapters of the book of Job, he loses his children (Job 1:13-14, 18-19), his property (1:16-17), and his health (2:7-10). We have to read Job 42 to see that Job had more children, doubled his property, and enjoyed great health. When we read and meet Rahab in the Bible (Josh. 2), all we know is she is a prostitute, living in the Canaanite city of Jericho. So, this was an immoral woman living amongst deeply immoral people (Lev. 18:21 discusses how they would sacrifice their children by burning them alive to Molech). Yet, we know from reading Joshua 2 & 6:25, that she protected God’s people and because she obeyed, saved her and her household from the slaughter of Jericho. This also made it possible for Rahab to be found in the lineage of the Christ (Matt. 1:5). Lastly, when reading the first chapter of Ruth, one almost gets depressed for this young woman. She is a widow and her mother-in-law, also a widow, wished to return to her home country because there was food. Ruth refused to leave her mother-in-law and went with her to Bethlehem. We read how she was gleaning the edges of the field. The edges were left unharvested for the poor people to be able to harvest and eat (Lev. 23:22). If we left it there, we’d only know a displaced, poor, young widow. However we know she marries Boaz, has children, and she too is in the lineage of the Christ (Matt. 1:5). So, why do I bring these examples to your attention? You will go through tough times in your life, if you are not going through them right now. However, you don’t know the end of your story. My encouragement to you is look at the example of Job, Rahab, and Ruth. Stay faithful to God. Your story isn’t over. I love you all!


In His service,
Steven Hugley