Do You Need to Know the End?

“He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corin. 15:56)

Don’t you love AND hate coming to the end of a great book, especially one you enjoyed during a summer respite, maybe at the beach or poolside? I am always left feeling satisfied yet sad when a good story is over. But I know it’s a great book if it has an ending that makes me feel this way.

In the Master Classes I teach on writing a book, I always have my students figure out their ending toward the beginning…as in, write a chapter outline for the book which includes how it ends. This is to help writers keep from meandering in their writing, veering off the main story or theme as they are wont to do…and confusing or losing the reader, what I call the “cardinal sin” of writers.

Now in my “sunset years,” I find myself reflecting more on how precious time is. And I believe we need to have some knowledge of how our journey on earth ends for us…or we may get confused on where we’re headed, or perhaps what we’re even living for. Now that’s not to say any of us know the details…the when, where and how of what’s ahead in life, or death. But for Christians, we have a knowledge of what lays beyond death, or how our life on earth ends because Jesus told us while he was here on earth:

Jesus’ Teachings on “The End”

You can find out what God tells us through His Word (the Bible) in passages in Mathew (chapters 23-25) and in Daniel and Revelation. Here’s one revealing scriptural passage I think we can relate to in Matthew:

“As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this (the end times) happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” Jesus answered: “See that no one leads you astray, for many will come in my name saying, ‘I am the Christ’ and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning…Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man…and they will see Him coming on the clouds of heaven with great power and great glory.”

Being Prepared

“Therefore, you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” Jesus warns us through many parables that we need to be ready for the end, now that He’s told us the signs to look for. And while many are stockpiling food, ammunition and other worldly goods, I believe He really means for us to prepare our hearts and make sure our spiritual lives are in order so that we will be invited into Heaven.

Is The End Near?

Some Christian believers point to events like wars, natural disasters, and moral decline as signs of the end times.  These can include things happening in recent years or even recent weeks: the flooding in Texas, the fires in California, the wars in Ukraine and on Israel, the recent strikes on nuclear sites in Iran by the US. But who is to say these are the disasters that are spoken of in the Bible, or merely tragic events that are occurring? I think it’s impossible for us to determine. I believe the exact time of the end times is unknown…and that we need to focus not on the ‘when’ (for Jesus also told us we will not know until it is upon us) but rather, on the importance of living a good life in the present, one of kindness, love, hope, faith, service, and purpose.

Writing YOUR Ending

Believing we have a basic knowledge, or “rough draft” if you will, of the end times as told to us in the Bible helps us to rest assured we all have a chance to reach heaven…that our present life means something, that we are working and living toward an end goal…eternal life with God. As a Catholic, I believe we are offered the gift of eternal life through Jesus’ resurrection, but we also have to become our best selves to receive it…that we have a choice, whether to continue to sin and deny the gift…or to continue to walk toward it, following Jesus as the way, fulfilling our God-given purpose and becoming all the Lord means for us to be.

Do you know your ending? If you are worried, confused, or dreading it, perhaps you don’t…and maybe it’s time to find out by reading God’s words in the Bible; and then to make sure YOUR story is moving toward that happy ending. Let’s face it, we all love a happy ending, right?

Dear God, please grant that we will walk in Your ways so that we can meet you one day in heaven, and experience the happy ending you have written for those who believe!