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 The Final Chapter
by Tom Norvell
It occurs to me that our lives are made up of individual books that will eventually become a collection of books telling the complete story of the life we live. For instance, there is the book of our childhood that tells the story from birth through our early teen years. This book is filled with stories and examples of learning and growing and innocence (for most people). There is the book of adolescence that picks up in our early teen years to describe the turbulence that accompanies our struggle for independence and individuality. The book of adolescence is followed by the book that covers our young adult life that documents our choice of a career, decisions about family, and our introduction to full-time work, responsibility, and caring for others. Next are the books that take us through the different phases of our adult years. The library of our lives expands here as books that focus on the life of a child, a marriage, an illness, a struggle, and the transitions from location to location take place. As we explore the books on our life shelf we may discover that we are living in more than one book at a time. Parents with multiple children find themselves at a different place with each child. One may be evolving in the book of adolescence while another is enjoying the playful book of childhood, and yet another may be struggling through the young adult years. Regardless of the book we are currently in, eventually we will come to the final chapter. The final chapter of high school days is filled with emotion, excitement, and anxiety. The final chapter of the young adult years can be thrilling, full of surprise, and perhaps disillusionment. The final chapter of any phase may include a sense of loss, a feeling of remorse, or the contentment of knowing that you have lived in such a way that the book can be closed with as little regret as possible. For some, the final chapter is a chapter of joy. For some, it is a chapter of hope. Some books end with tragic sorrow and disappointment. Others may include a mixture of all of these ... and more. Like with any good book, we do not know how it ends until we get to the final chapter. Two things are certain. First, a final chapter will be written. Children grow up and leave home. The carefree years of college come to an end. For those who choose to marry, the final chapter may reveal hearts, souls, bodies, and spirits that are blended into one. Some books end according to plan, some end by catching us totally by surprise. "We never saw that coming." Some end with great fanfare. Some end almost unnoticed. But all end. Second, as one ends another begins. There's always another book.
Perhaps Paul's description of his final earthly chapter can be a model for us to follow: For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day — and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing (2 Timothy 4:6-8 NIV). Are you in the process of writing the final chapter of one of the books of your life? Is the final chapter what you expected it would be? Or, is it taking a strange and unexpected turn? Are you ready to see the final chapter, or would you prefer to read a little longer? What will the final chapter reveal about you? As each final chapter of the many books of my life is written I want to be able to say like Paul: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day — and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. The final chapter is yours to write.
Title: "The Final Chapter" Author: Tom Norvell Publication Date: August 24, 2008 |
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