SPOILER ALERT

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5)

Since the advent of the digital video recorder, commonly referred to as the DVR, it has become possible to ‘binge watch’ multiple episodes of your favorite show at one time. With the explosion of online streaming services, you can start a series from the beginning and catch up at your leisure. The only problem is if you hang out with other fans of the show who assume that you are at the same episode, they may ruin it for you by revealing one or more key turn of events. That’s why movie previews or appearances of stars promoting newly released movies never discuss critical scenes.  Their desire is to entice you into wanting to see more but never to tell you too much.  They want to be teasers but at no time spoilers.

Have you ever given a book to someone to later find out that before deciding to devote their time to reading it, they looked at the last chapter?  Most people cannot understand why someone would want to do that. However, there are folks out there who have to know the ending before they will dare to invest in the beginning. Often those individuals do not grow very deep in their relationships.  They will only commit so far, because they lack the ability to feel secure in their decisions without knowing how things will eventually turn out.  In some ways, our society has also moved in this direction. Unless there is definitive scientific evidence of how something came to be, it encourages skepticism. There are times that sort of doubt is true for each of us in our faith as well, if we try to define God in human terms. The Old Testament prophet cautions us: “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine” (Isaiah 55:8).

I am always amazed at the rebirth of our earth each Spring. Martin Luther said, “Our Lord has written the promise of resurrection, not in books alone but in every leaf of springtime.” The fact that plants become dormant and then revitalize in the warmer seasons of the year is nothing short of a miracle.  Botanists can clarify the growth, biochemistry and development of plants. But if we keep asking the basic question ‘how’ – they will eventually reach a point where any explanation defies logic and can only be attributed to something beyond normal reasoning. Jesus affirmed this when He said, “The Kingdom of God is like a farmer who scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, while he’s asleep or awake, the seed sprouts and grows, but he does not understand how it happens. The earth produces the crops on its own. First a leaf blade pushes through, then the heads of wheat are formed, and finally the grain ripens. And as soon as the grain is ready, the farmer comes and harvests it with a sickle, for the harvest time has come” (Mark 4:26-29). The storyline is somehow incomplete without the provision of a higher power.

It is easy to appreciate how the disciples became confused when Jesus began to talk about leaving them to be with the Father. He said, “You know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” (John 14:4-5). It was as though they had started a novel, were told about the ending, but were missing the intervening chapters for further understanding. Jesus said. “Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen me do” (John 14:11). And therein lies the foundation of our faith: Jesus assertion that He was the Son of God, who was crucified, and three days later would rise from the dead thereby confirming He was who He claimed to be. If Christ is not risen, then as Christians, everything we proclaim to believe would be worthless. Paul stated it frankly: “And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless” (1 Cor. 15:14). For the Christian, what might otherwise be our final chapter is good news. When we die and someone arbitrarily says, “They’re gone” – the answer to the question, “Where?” has already been promised.  For “He is not here. He has risen” (Luke 24:6). It’s a spoiler alert worth sharing but indeed not the end of His story . . . nor ours.

REFLECTION: How would you explain to a new Christian that the existence of their faith is grounded in the resurrection? What are some things about God that you just have to accept as being beyond human comprehension? Why is it not necessary to understand all the details, as long as we learn to trust God?

A NEW LOOKUP  DEVOTION IS UPLOADED EACH WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKLY POSTING WILL BE ON SAT., APRIL 22, 2017.  COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.

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