LEAP TO THE END

Today’s post is part of the Christian Writer’s blog chain. This month, our theme is “leap.” Please visit my friends’ blogs by clicking on the links in the right-hand column.

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Are you one of those folks who jump to the end of the book? Read the last chapter first? Try to take all the fun out of the journey?

Tsk. Tsk.

Books—fiction books at least—are meant to be read from the front cover to the back. In that order. The writer, after all, has spent many sweat-filled years, creating a story that leads you from scene to scene, character to character, plot twist to plot twist to give you the satisfying ending he designed.

So to you book jumpers, I say again, “tsk, tsk.”

But that’s for fiction.

You can sometimes get away with chapter jumping when reading non-fiction books. Non-fiction. That’s the real life stuff. The books filled with facts and history and truth.

Sometimes the author intends to lead you chapter-by-chapter to one ultimate truthful conclusion.

But sometimes each chapter can stand by itself.

Chapter 1: here’s something you need to know.

Chapter 27: If you want this, then…

Chapter 42: Here are 39 ways to…

Chapter 3: Don’t forget to…

With those books, each truth—each chapter—can stand alone. And each can stand as part of the whole.

Go ahead and jump to the end of those books. No tsk-ing required.

So it is with the Bible.

The Bible is our eternal non-fiction reference guide. Yet, it is written by the Master Author—with scenes in history, character development, plot twists and the ultimate ending that explains everything that came before the final chapter. And everything that comes after it.

Chapter 1: Here’s something you need to know. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Chapter 17: If you want this, then…follow Jesus.

Chapter 42: Here are 39 ways to…live like Jesus.

Chapter 3: Don’t forget to…obey God.

Conclusion, final chapter, Book of Revelation: God wins. So do we.

Go ahead and jump to the end of the book. In fact, LEAP to the end. It’s all good. It’s all very good. That’s why it’s called “The Good Book.”

Today—Ash Wednesday—begins the season of Lent. Lent is the 40 days prior to Easter, when Christ was resurrected. It is a time for reflection and penitence. And thanksgiving for God’s gift of salvation. Go ahead and leap for joy!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for the greatest book ever written. Thank you for writing it in such a way that it can lead us through life, step-by-step to a final conclusion. Or it can be read book-by-book as a daily reference guide. Reveal your truth to us each time we open it. Amen.

WHAT ABOUT YOU? When you read fiction, do I need to tsk-tsk you?

NEW MATH

This month the CW has selected the theme of “nine” as the topic. Please go to the links on the right side of the page and see what my friends have to say about the number nine. 

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Did you read my post on November 9? [Timely Blessings] There I explain that—even though November is the 11^th month in our Gregorian calendar—its name “novem” means nine because originally, November was the ninth month on the year.  

For me, the word “novem” is all about math. And math reminds me of Jesus. 

When we read scripture, we see the same numbers come up again and again—40 as in the 40 days and 40 nights Jesus spent in the desert; the 40 years the Jews wandered the desert. 

We also see 12s—the 12 tribes of Israel; the 12 disciples; 12 pearly gates; 12 foundations of New Jerusalem.  

Threes, of course, are vital theologically because God is God in three persons—the Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit; along with the three days of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection. 

Then there’s the number seven. Seven means perfection.

When God created heaven and earth, He took six days and then rested on the seventh. John’s Book of Revelation shows us God’s 7 churches in Asia, 7 spirits before His throne, 7 golden lamp stands, 7 stars that are the seven angels of the 7 churches, 7 trumpets, 7 seals, the Lamb with 7 horns and 7 eyes, 7 plagues, 7 golden bowls filled with the wrath of God.  

Revelation also tells us that the sign of the beast is 666. In Hebrew tradition, because seven is perfection, the number six often refers to anything that falls short of perfection. Like man.  

The number 666 in Revelation is humanity’s number. Is the number six used three times for the sign of the beast to correlate with our falling short of each person in the Trinity? And Satan’s falling short of his creator?  

Why am I talking about six and seven when the theme for November is nine? 

Because of the “new math.” 

When Jesus became the blood sacrifice that made us acceptable to God, the number of the beast was washed from our foreheads. Although we are still one less than God’s perfection, we are no longer marked as sixes. We now belong to Him.

Under the new covenant, Jesus—our heavenly math teacher—gives us new math:

The Trinity                               3

Plus Humanity’s number      6 

Equals                                      9

Math is good.  

Even though November is no longer the ninth month in our modern calendar, each November I’ll still be reminded about the meaning of the month and the number 9. And that’ll remind me to praise God for Jesus’ new math that includes you and me.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, we know that your scripture is full of symbolism and that no one but you is perfect. We recognize that we fall short of your glory in so many ways. Thank you, Jesus for being our sacrifice that washes away the mark of the beast and allows us to join your perfect family. Amen.

WHAT ABOUT YOU? Want to share another important numerical reference from scripture?

                       

HOME, AT LAST

This post is part of the September blog chain with ChristianWriters.com. Our theme for the month of September is “Coming Home.” Please visit the links in the right column to see what my friends have to say about “Coming Home.”

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Excuse me for bragging, but my home is awesome! Some would call it a mansion.

From years of living in earthquake-prone California, you’ll understand how reassuring it is that my home’s sturdy foundation is built in 12 layers. I can’t explain how it was constructed, only that it is the firmest foundation a home can have. 

When you enter my home, one thing you’ll notice is the wonderful scent. There is incense burning at all times. Not the heavy musk that causes headaches. This incense is light and sweet-smelling. 

You’ll also notice that my home is filled with color. The red walls are striking against the golden floors. There’s a feeling of vibrancy in my home. Yet there’s also a unique sense of peace.

As a writer, it’s important to mention the library in my home. It’s filled with all kinds of books. Not written by me, but they all clearly show that they were written by the hand of God.

The main room in my home is a gathering place. It holds—not a couch—but 25 enormous chairs—so grand and lovely, they’re almost like thrones. There is one very large one and 24 smaller ones. The 24 are reserved for elders. The large one is white. It’s really great!

Did I mention that my home is on waterfront property? It has a view of the sea—not the wildly crashing, violent ocean so typical of Northern California. The panoramic view below my home is of a clear sea, calm as glass.

In the other direction, you’ll see a beautiful river winding through the city. On each side of the river are fruit trees. The trees provide delicious fruit throughout the year. The leaves themselves have healing properties. 

My home has 12 gates for entry to the property. Even the gates are beautiful—pearly in appearance—yet clear enough not obstruct the view. But the gates are mostly decorative, since they’re always open and welcoming people into my home. 

It might sound funny, but I keep palm branches handy. From time to time it seems like a multitude of people are in my home. Everybody likes to wear white robes and wave their palm branches toward the large throne-like chair. They sing, too. The acoustics in my home are so wonderful that somehow, everyone’s craggy voices sound almost angelic. 

But it’s not just people who enjoy my home. There are also an unbelievable number of horses, a lamb, an ox, an eagle, and even a lion. It’s the Lamb, though that everyone loves most. He gets the very best seat in the house, next to his father. People surround the Lamb and the Father and are forever, singing:

“To him who sits on the throne

and to the Lamb
be praise and honor
and glory and power,
for ever and ever!”

 Before you know it, angels join in with their harps and trumpets. And it’s a heavenly sing-along!

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No, this is not the home I live in now. It is my heavenly home; my eternal home; the home promised to me, because I first believed.

Jesus said: “My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?” John 14:2

The mansion in heaven is huge. There’s room enough for all of us. I’ll be coming home before I know it. I’m not in a hurry, but I’d sure love for you to join me there.

I’ll bring the palm branches. You bring the incense.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for your promise of spending eternity with you. Thank you, Jesus for going ahead to prepare a place for us. Thank you, Holy Spirit for keeping us on the narrow path that leads to the gate of our eternal home. Amen.

WHAT ABOUT YOU? What aspects of John’s vision of heaven set out in the Book of Revelation call loudest to you?