Alpha and Omega
In the closing book of the Bible our Lord began in the first chapter by telling us, “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty” (Revelation 1:8). In the closing chapter of this last book Jesus said again, “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last” (Revelation 22:13).
I received a letter from one of my favorite people in life, Clyde Edwards, my long time next door neighbor who now lives high in the Texas panhandle. I knew after Barbara and I were moved to tears that I would have to end my Pastor’s Word with his impressions after returning from what he called his “dual purpose week-end”.
So much is in my heart as I write these words, I feel as though I could burst with praise to our Lord who is The Alpha (the first letter of the Greek alphabet) and The Omega (the last letter of the Greek alphabet). This is equivalent to saying Christ is The “A” to the “Z”. I often like to add, and everything in between. In life He is the beginning and the end. He brings us around to addressing what is really important in life. He is so kind, if we miss it the first time around, He is often willing to re-route us an allow us to confront life issues that must be addressed. He is the God that says, “Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.” (Isaiah 46:9,10).
In life we hear sayings such as, “What goes around comes around.” Thomas Stearns Eliot said, “In my beginning is my end.” There is something that God seems to place in the beginning of our years which is similar to seed. It breaks its early husk, it is watered (sometimes from the tears of sorrow), it receives the sunshine of His loving-kindness; it grows and matures into something that in turn bears the seed of its youth. It has everything to do with our relationship with Him, others, and the will of God as it is played out in the profession that we, by His providence choose. He gives us our personal “alpha and omegas”, while all along guided by His beginning and ending perspective. “The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD” (Proverbs 16:33).
Today I await word from my wife about the birth, God willing of our second grandchild who appears to be heading for a birth on or about the 4th of July. Our first grandchild, Caleb will be celebrating his first birthday on Thanksgiving this year. Truly, we have thanksgiving in our heart for our first in this new generation and fireworks in our heart as we plan to celebrate the next in line. What a glorious alpha and omega is their placement in earth! I just returned from our youngest son’s college orientation and we are still rejoicing over our oldest son’s marriage, another nice alpha and omega. Today I called my dear friend Clyde Edwards and asked permission to run his impressions that he sent me in this forum. Even as we talked, I realized another alpha and omega, was playing out as he informed me that today was his dear wife Virginia’s birthday. Clyde loved and faithfully attended this precious saint through the long good-bye of dementia and other illnesses. In our final conversation in Tulsa, with tears in his eyes, he was telling me how he was touched by those wonderful words of promise to the bride and bridegroom. He explained how he sometimes wondered if in our youth we really understand the depth of what those words mean, “until death do us part”. As this “knight in shining armor” inquired, I was in awe of a man who kept his vows more than once in life…all the way until death. As you read his musings of the week-end from as the British would say, a fortnight ago, you too will be touched by our need to stay true to our love and our friendships from the beginning to the end.
For several weeks I had been looking forward to a special weekend in Tulsa, wherein I would attend a wedding of a former neighbor youngster that I had watched grow into a handsome young man. His father, a very dear personal friend and minister, would officiate.
Not only would I attend a wedding that weekend, but visit the following day with another long time friend and business associate. We had supported one another and worked hand in hand to help start and build a large successful environmental engineering company.
This was to be a great dual purpose weekend. The wedding ceremony, on Friday evening, was beautiful. The groom, the former little boy that played basketball in the driveway next door, was handsome in his formal wedding attire. The bride in a flowing white wedding gown that she made with her own hands, was radiant and lovely. The wedding and reception afterwards were events of near perfection, well suited for launching a happy young couple, joined together to face the world as one. Saturday morning, as prearranged, I drove to nearby Okmulgee. As scheduled, I called to obtain directions to the home of my friend and business associate. His wife answered the phone as follows. “Clyde, I don’t know how to tell you this, but he collapsed yesterday with a stroke and never regained consciousness.” He died Friday evening. That is why I refer to it as my Alpha and Omega weekend. Sharing joy and wishing happiness to a new marriage, but also sharing the heartbreak and consoling the widow of a marriage now ended. Both occurring at almost the same time on the same evening.
I recalled the marriage vows: “I promise to love, cherish, and honor until death do us part.”
In marriage; the same as life, there is an Alpha and Omega.
- Pastor Pope -