Jump Start # 505 

Ecclesiastes 7:8 “The end of a matter is better than its beginning; patience of spirit is better haughtiness of spirit.”

  We are about to wrap up another year. Hard to believe. Just about everyone says, “where did the year go?” Or, “It seems to just fly by these days.” We know in reality that the length of a year is the same in 2011 as it was in 1963 or 1934, or even in 1844. What makes it seem to go so fast is that we are so busy. Each day is stuffed like a suitcase on vacation. We have more gadgets and technology that allows us to do things better and faster, but that has allowed us to just stack more and more into a day. The day starts with the alarm clock screaming at us—”Get up! Get at it.” The day ends when we shuffle back to bed exhausted. What’s missing in a lot of this is time to reflect and time to connect. At the whirlwind speed we go through a day, who has time for sunrises, sunsets, rainbows, sitting on porches—I know I don’t, but I wish I did.

  This way of life that most of us are on, hurts us spiritually as well. There isn’t the time to count blessings, which leads to thankfulness. We are thankful, but we are busy. Could all of this be a reason why God established the Sabbath for Israel? The Sabbath had two functions.  First, it was a day of worship. Second, it was a day of rest. No cooking. No gathering sticks. No travel. The day was spent with the family. The day was spent with God.

  The Sabbath rules and regulation went out with the Old Law. The New Testament doesn’t have a built in Sabbath—one that prohibits work, traveling or activities. Sunday is not “the Christian Sabbath,” as some want to call it. I wonder if God thought we’d get the idea from the O.T. and be wiser with our day of worship? I don’t know. Under the Old Testament, God gave Israel one day a week to slow down, reflect and connect. There is so much good in that. Our bodies need rest. Our minds need to think beyond the present to the eternal. Our hearts need to connect with family and God.

  This week, our Jump Starts are going to look at the theme of a new year. It’s upon us. Will the new year be any different for us? Will we do just the same things again? Someone made the comment that you and I will be the same in five years except for the books we read and the people we hang out with. That’s talking about the influences in our lives. Maybe less TV and more books—and not just books, better books. Maybe finding time to connect with meaningful people who have insight, depth and spirituality with them. Maybe a Bible study with one of the shepherds or preachers of the church. Maybe a family Bible study.

  Solomon, in our passage, saw that the end is better than the beginning. This chapter of Ecclesiastes contrasts one thing with another and Solomon tells us which one is better. The end, is the fulfillment, the completion. Standing in a field and trying to see a house that will be built there is not better than actually standing in that completed house. Finishing a project is more fulfilling than starting a project. The end of recital is more fulfilling than the beginning of it. The end of surgery is better than the beginning. Even the end of life is better than the beginning because of the things completed and accomplished.

  We’ve come to the end of a year. What kind of year was it for you? If you are reading this, you are still with us, that is a blessing. There may have been trips to the hospital for your family this year, there may have been a trip to the funeral home for some, there may have been some heart ache, but there may have also been many blessings. Some in your family may have obeyed the Lord this year. Maybe you’ve grown this year. Maybe you made a difference in someone’s life this year. The end is better than the beginning.

  As we end this year, will you do anything differently this coming year? Same routines? Same schedules? Same habits? Same financial picture? Same spiritual picture? Same type of books read? Same friends to hang out with? Or, will you put a stake in the ground and determine that this coming year will be different? More spirituality? More involvement with my church family? More reaching out? More faith? More time for family? Better saving financially? Better spiritual habits? Better care of your body? A better year?

  We often call such things, “resolutions” meaning we have “resolved” to do things. But often, our first of the year resolutions last about a month and they are gone. Back to the old ways, old habits and old thoughts. Eventually these add up to a lifetime and that defines our life.

  I have found that the best diet in the world is the mirror. When a person is tired of the way they look, they will do something. The best financial plans is your bank statement. When you are tire of living paycheck to paycheck, you will do something. The best spiritual plan is Sunday—when you are tired of giving lip service to the God that loves you so much, you’ll start making changes. The motivation is I want to do better. I want to be better.

  The end is better than the beginning…Let’s make it so, by living for Jesus every day.

Roger