Is your glass half empty or half full? My family has enjoyed a popular best selling book series titled, A Series of Unfortunate Events. The title resonates with most because we are often faced with many trials and unfortunate events. In fact we face so many trials that we might think that the good God has checked out of our lives. For example a friend of mine in high school concluded from her experience that every other year was destined to be a bad year. So has the good God checked out of our lives? Is the verdict on the failure, success, and purpose of our lives in the hands of fate? Is life merely a series of unfortunate events?
Now it is true that the history of mankind past, present and future is a series of events. These major events of history are simply summarized 1) someone is coming, 2) someone is here, and 3) someone is coming again. But is this series of events unfortunate or fortunate?
After Adam and Eve sinned God predicted that someone was coming. “And I will put enmity between you and the woman,and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel" (Genesis 3:15 NIV). How fortunate! Satan might harm us, but he will crushed when Jesus comes!
John the Baptist proclaimed that someone was here. "Again, the next day, John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked, and said, 'Behold, the Lamb of God!'" (John 1:35-36 WEB). Again fortunate! Jesus came to Earth as promised!
Two angels promised that someone is coming again. “When he had said these things, as they were looking, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight. While they were looking steadfastly into the sky as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white clothing, who also said, 'You men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who was received up from you into the sky, will come back in the same way as you saw him going into the sky'" (Acts 1:9-11 WEB). Finally fortunate! Jesus is coming again!
The history of mankind is a series of fortunate events. In fact the tragedy of human sin, our trials, and unfortunate events are really not without purpose in view of eternity, but in fact very fortunate and actively designed by God to demonstrate his grace. Though sometimes hard to understand and hard to believe, God has not checked out of our lives. He is always very checked in and he is about to check in again, personally. What great fortune for every one of his chosen ones! Do you long for his return? The glass of God’s grace is completely full and overflowing.
