“The End is Near” has so much dour feeling. Most people use it as an ominous phrase. However, it is a phrase that can also bring about hope. The End does not have to be a fearful thing. There are lots of Ends to things. Here at IMM, we are looking forward to the End of a few different things. The biggest End on most peoples’ minds is the End of this quarantine. By a show of Zoom hands or Facebook emojis, how many of you are also ready for that to End? As this week's blog editor, you should know that I am a fairly decent, trained chef, and even I am ready for the End of eating my own cooking. I would love a carry-out pepperoni with extra cheese pizza or a night of eating out at some restaurant with a group of friends. I am sure my nephew is ready for the End of home school. Some parents are most likely ready as well for this session of impromptu home-school to End as well. Throughout the quarantine, IMM has been working diligently to wrap-up (which is film industry speak for End) the post-production work on the next season of The Heritage Project.
Many times as believers we read the End of the Bible as a scary, horror story of the End of Times. Can anybody remember the Christian horror classics: Thief in the Night, As the Thunder Rolls, Left Behind, and a few other straight to video Christian classics. We talk about the End of this heaven and earth. Since Jesus’ departure from the earth, we have looked to the sky for the End and yet we must continue to labor in the field. While Jesus´ return is closer than ever, it is not the End of the work that must be done. The mission assigned to us near the End of Jesus´ time here on earth remains the same.
¡So we carry on!
Side note: Do you know why Spanish sentences use the upside-down punctuation? The example in the case above is to let you know from the very beginning that the sentence that it is supposed to be read with excitement, and not have to wait until the End to find out how it was supposed to be read.
Here is the downside of Ends. They can be sad as well. End of relationships. End of missionaries on the field. Ends of vacations. End of life. The End of judgment on souls who will not hear of God´s love. This is Why we are so hard at work on the field. We are working hard to make sure that as many people as possible do not meet this End. As you continue to support missionaries around the world, including us, together we bring about the End to hopelessness and feelings of being lost. It is amazing how a life can be transformed in the power of Jesus´ love and see an End to their misery, heartbreak, and longing. The words of Jesus set the captives free and End our death sentence of being slaves to sin.
Thank you! We know that even though times may be tough right now, many of you have continued giving. Many of you despite the End of your job(s), have still sought to remain faithful to the Lord in your promises of faith. I can tell you from a missionary’s heart, we are grateful. It has allowed us to remain on task and continuing to work towards the End of lost people groups, to the End of brokenness, and to an End where people choose to worship the one true King of Kings.
So as we watch the End of these things, we look forward to a future of even brighter beginnings! Be at peace and may the love of Christ invade your heart and mind, bring an End to doubt and fear!
As my daddy tells me, “Son, if you cannot preach it in less than 20, then harping on it for an hour isn’t going to make it better.“ Thus, I wrap up this blog post…
THE END!
