Don’t Forget the Middle!

Cookies are a thing around here. I’d love to tell you that our grandkids walk in the door, expecting to experience the wonderful aroma of freshly made baked goods, but that would be a big, fat lie. Sad to say, they’ve learned to settle for the real me. I’m more the “Hey, y’all! I ran by the grocery store this afternoon. Look what I snagged!” kind of grandma – plenty proud of the three packages of store-bought cookies sitting on the counter.

Fortunately, the grands inherited my love of all things sweet, but each one does have a preference as to his or her favorite. That “necessitates” (wink, wink) me “having to” buy a few different varieties.

But the kids all give a thumbs up to Oreos. Like every other kid in the civilized world, they all ply off the top chocolate wafer and eat it before then scraping off the white creamy filling from the bottom layer with their teeth. And then - bye, bye bottom layer. It’s almost like they have to eat the chocolate wafers just so they can get to the yummy inside. The beginning is good. The end is good. But the middle is where it’s at!

I’m truly in awe of the Trinity – perfect fellowship among God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit – and the fact that they were all together in the beginning of time. John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word (referring to Jesus)…” “Through Him (Jesus) all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made.” (John 1:3) All of creation was fashioned by Jesus and remains intact by His power. Colossians 1:17 tells us, “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” So there’s Jesus – in the beginning.

I’m also in awe of God’s plan for redemption of our world – an amazing chain of events that will commence when Jesus returns to this earth to establish His eternal kingdom. “When the Son of Man (Jesus) comes in all His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit down on His throne in heavenly glory.” (Matthew 25:31) Jesus will finally reign over all things – with evil destroyed and gone for eternity. Revelation 11:15b says, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever.” So there’s Jesus – at the end.

In the depths of my amazement at Jesus as Creator in the Trinity and my anticipation of His return and reign, I sometimes lose sight of one very important reality: Yes, Jesus was at the beginning of all things, Jesus will be at the end of all things, and Jesus is in the middle of all things right now! He says in Revelation 1:8, “I am the Alpha and the Omega…Who is (emphasis added), and Who was, and Who is to come, the Almighty.”

In the middle, Jesus is

…with us – “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20b)

               …pursuing us – “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me.” (Revelation 3:20)

               …uniting us – “For where two or three come together in My name, there I am with them.” (Matthew 18:20)

               …living in us – “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

               …limitlessly loving us – “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)

               …forgiving us – “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

               …giving us His peace – “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27)

               …interceding to the Father for us – “…Christ Jesus, Who died – more than that, Who was raised to life – is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” (Romans 8:34b)

               …sympathizing with us – “Therefore, since we have a great high priest Who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest Who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have One Who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin.” (Hebrews 4:14-15)

Jesus, You are the Alpha and the Omega. But, Lord, let me never forget that You’re also in the glorious middle of it all! In Your beautiful Name, amen.