Everything has a beginning and an end, even though we are sometimes unable to see it. Since coming to the Lord I have become comfortable with unanswered questions and concepts that are beyond my ability to comprehend. I dwell in a land of possibilities – dreams and plans and hopes – all of which are under the direction of Almighty God and thus completely possible. Very little surprises me anymore though there is much that brings delight and joy as I watch the Creator of the Universe change circumstances and move mountains to fulfil His promises and complete the works He has begun.

So, I wasn’t really surprised when I was awakened at 1:00 a.m. and heard a whispered “The end is the beginning.” Okay. I’m okay with that. And then, in completely uncharacteristic fashion for me, I asked “What end?” Are we talking about the end of my 40 week fast which is just around the corner? Are we talking about the end of life? Are we talking about the end of a relationship, or business, or ministry? What exactly are we talking about here?

I meditated on those questions for a bit and then forced myself out of my nice warm bed into the COLD family room at 3:00 a.m. Reaching for my Bible I offered a little disgruntled prayer heavenward, reminding the Lord that I’m not all that smart and if He’s trying to tell me something then it really needs to be clearer than the cryptic ‘the end is the beginning’. Sometimes I get so worn out trying to understand what needs to be understood, and I felt this was one of those things that needed to be understood because He was trying to communicate with me.

How wonderful it would be to say I had an epiphany or revelation as I read the verses that were displayed before me. I didn’t. I received many scriptures that spoke of mission trips – taking the truth to places previously unknown and sharing God’s love with people. This was followed with an entire study on power and authority, at the end of which I got an itch to study something called ‘unrealized power’. In my mind that was an indictment of believers who had failed to execute their calling, but what I discovered in my study was something entirely different. The Holy Spirit began to teach me about those who are operating in their gifts but whose power and authority are not recognized by those around them. Like Jesus who couldn’t do many miracles in His own home town because the people would not or could not believe He had such power. The limitation wasn’t in Jesus, it was in those around Him. Or when He calmed the storm and those present began to question what sort of man He was.

So what does all this have to do with my cryptic message? Well, as near as I can make out it is a jigsaw puzzle and I have to put the pieces together in a way that exposes the message. Perhaps the end of my fast will be the beginning of a new ministry in which people who know me will not acknowledge or recognize the power and authority the Holy Spirit will wield through me. That message makes sense to me in light of the hours I spent trying to figure it all out, but I will continue to meditate on it all and see if there is something else I am missing. Perhaps it is just a small piece of a bigger puzzle which will be revealed in stages. Only God knows for certain.

Nevertheless, I am spending each day in anticipation as I watch for the hand of God moving in my life and the lives of those around me.

Praying you exist in an atmosphere of joy and anticipation!