She shrugged her sleepy shoulders so he provided the answer for her. "None of these stories we read," he said, "conclude with THE END."
Something I hadn't really thought of before, and the more I considered it, the more profound his statement became in my mind. As I meditated on the thought, I began to see God's mercy and loving kindness.
God created us so we are all a part of His story, and God's story is one of love and grace that has no end.
I needed to hear that.
Holidays can be a busy time, especially for moms. The Christmas ham and all the fixings are enjoyed in just a fraction of the time spent to prepare them. In an instant those brightly wrapped packages with fluffy bows are ripped to pieces. And family gatherings breed both treasured memories and refereeing frequent arguments between cousins who want to play with the same toy.
As this holiday season concludes, and I reflect upon all the activities, I can't help but see how many of them were seasoned with my impatience or frustration.
Don't get me wrong, I had a wonderful Christmas. I enjoyed my family, and especially our time off of work and school together. But there are still those moments, that I wish could click "Edit, Undo"
The truth is those moments exist in every season of my life. I do things I don't want to do, things I regret later then repeat again.
That's why God made the ultimate sacrifice of sending His Only Son to pay the full price for my sin. He did it so that I can accept His free gift of salvation. He did it so that the chapter about me will not conclude with a cold and final THE END.
Because of Jesus I have forgiveness. I have redemption. There is no last straw, no strike three, no THE END for those who are in Christ.
Promise for today:
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end. Lamentations 3:22