Beginning at the End

Some of us began Lent with the hearing of Psalm 103 as it was read in a beautiful candlelit room.  It brought back to mind something that seems to be a better “end of Lent’ story that I knew should be shared.  I had a little conversation with God though, about the timing of posting this today.  I was ready to make a note to share it somewhere around Good Friday when the drama of His sacrifice had built to near crescendo.  But once again He gently reminded me that His ways are not my ways, so that pretty well wrapped up the discussion.  I will share a little more about what came as the answer to “Why today?” in a moment.

Now, let me ask a couple of things of you.  Would you pull the text of Psalm 103 and read those 22 verses.  (I have been practicing reading things aloud for the last several months and am surprised by the “more” that happens when using my voice as well as my mind to read His word.  You might want to give it a try.  And I’d also suggest keeping this Psalm handy to read again mid-day and before you turn in tonight.  Or you may want to read it regularly throughout Lent.) 

Second, would you take a listen to this link now, before you move on to my third point? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuBV3uPxaAc

Third…A very short explanation of the background of this story:  Pastor Duane Miller had had to step down from his position in the pulpit after contracting a severe virus that had infiltrated the nerves of his vocal cords - a condition medical experts say to this day should have left him mute.  He was eventually asked  to teach at a Sunday School class where his gifts and knowledge could still be used in the smaller setting.  Still, he needed to be amped with microphone and speakers for the group to hear him adequately.  That led to us having the beautiful recording you just heard.

Now you can understand why I wanted to bump that tape to the end of Lent.  It is the best “Lazarus, come forth!” moment I know of to share.  Why get to the end of the story now?  Well, I wonder if it may be because we need its perspective as we move forward in these weeks of consideration of Jesus’ life, sufferings, and death.  It will strengthen our understanding to begin by remembering who it was that did all the things He did.  I was preferring this to be a great punch line at the end of a big buildup.  But God said, “Why don’t you just remember Me and soak for a while in the details of the Son I sent to you to rescue you by loving you, by walking up a long hill, dragging the sin of humanity and hanging its bloody reality on a cross, its self-indictment pretty clear.  We had already done considerable damage, and in our quest to not take any of the blame, we’d ended up killing God.  Great move, humanity; that will really show Him.  And it pretty well did.  Could our guilt have been any more clear? 

It was only because He truly is God that the story didn’t end there, but was written on by the hand of the One who holds both sword and pen and had something far better in mind for the ending.  He’d conquer the enemy.  He’d bust hell’s gates.  He’d invite us in.  He just had to get there by doing the job adequately and taking all of the mess down with Him to be put under His feet forever.  THAT’S who we’ll be talking about for the next several weeks as we look at the journey He took for us.  God was right again.  This is a great starting place.