The Rest of the Story

Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; 

wait, I say on the Lord 

(Psalm 27:14)

Paul Harvey’s radio program, “The Rest of the Story” featured him telling part of a happening, then breaking for a commercial, before coming back to finish what always turned out to be a surprise ending.  So it often is in life.  Circumstances that look disastrous at the time may have a far better ending than hoped for, especially when we are trusting God to work out the details.

As Jesus hung dying on the cross, it must have seemed that the power clique of the day had succeeded in their unholy alliance against Him.  His disciples, who have given up everything in order to follow Him, must have felt utterly defeated.  His cry, “It is finished” (John 19:30), would have rung like a death toll in their hearts.

Three days would pass before they understood that when He cried those words it was not in defeat, but in triumph; not surrender to the machinations of His enemies, but an expression of victory, for His mission on Earth was now complete.  He had defeated the power of Satan’s rule over evil and death, and provided a means by which humans can be restored to a right relationship with God, their Creator.  At the very moment when Jesus looked the weakest, He was infinitely victorious.

It reminds me of an incident that occurred in England at a time when they were at war with France.  The English troupes, under the command of General Arlington, had been engaged with Napoleon’s army in the Battle of Waterloo.  All England awaited the outcome.

Without the aid of modern technology, messages had to be passed from ship to ship as they slowly made their way back to the homeland.  The last ship to receive the message regarding the battle at Waterloo was anchored in the London harbor ready to relay the message to those waiting in the tower of Westminster Abbey.

Finally, the long-awaited message began: “Arlington defeated…”  Just then a dense fog rolled into the bay, blocking the remainder of the message.  For two long days the murky thickness hung over the city of London, as heavy as the hearts of her citizens.  But on the third day, their hearts soared when the fog finally dissipated and the full message was received:  “Arlington defeated Napoleon at Waterloo!”

As citizens of God’s Kingdom, we sometimes feel shrouded in dense fog – physical, emotional, mental, financial, social or spiritual.  Defeat seems imminent as we struggle to see beyond the negative circumstances that envelop us.  At such times it is important to trust God and wait—patiently, expectantly—until He reveals the rest of the story.

Have you not known?  Have you not heard that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the earth, faints not, neither is weary?  There is no searching of His understanding.  He gives power to the faint, and to them that have no might He increases strength…they that wait on the Lord shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint

(Isaiah 40: 28-29,31)

                               Lord, help us trust Your infinite wisdom

                               and intervention into the affairs of men.

                               Give us faith to look beyond today 

                               and wait patiently, hopefully, expectantly

                               for what will be revealed when the fog

                               is burned away by the warmth of Your love