Author and Finisher.

A couple of months ago I was watching the latest installment of the James Bond movies called Skyfall and an interesting event happened. If you have watched the movie you will realize that right in the first couple of action scenes, the hero and main character was shot by friendly fire and presumed dead. Now it was a little upsetting to realize the hero of the movie died in the first few scenes but I was not overly worried because I knew he couldn’t be dead. After all he was James Bond, the hero and main character. The director of the movie, the crew and all the technical staff knew this too. The only people who were worried were the audience, those who had no idea how the movie would end. 

Another event was when I had the privilege to watch one of Uncle Ebo Whyte’s plays. In this particular one, a couple was having an argument which later turned into a bitter exchange of words. In the middle of the play, they got a divorce amidst lots of groans and protest from the audience, myself included.

Since I had come in earlier I knew where the director was sitting so I chanced a glance at him at this point and saw him smiling. I was initially upset that he seemed to be enjoying our discomfort until it dawned on me that, perhaps the reason he was smiling was because he knew the end of the play. He knew what would happen in the end, so he could smile at the audience. I took a cue from that and focused on the events unfolding on stage with renewed hope. As you would expect, the end was so happy and satisfying that, every one of the audience including the ones who protested vehemently in the middle were applauding and cheering the couple who had reconciled and started a family.

I believe sometimes this is what happens in our lives. 

Since we have no idea how the movie of our life will end, we get overly worried stressed and anxious.  We protest and complain about the events in our life and blame the director for writing unpleasant parts for us to perform. We cry and wail, demanding a rewriting of our roles and functions. We forget that he knows the end of this play. He is the author and the finisher. He is the writer and director of this play called LIFE! And he asks us to take a cue from him and just focus on our roles. The Bible is replete with countless admonishing, prophecies and advice on having faith and confidence in the one who knows the beginning and end of our struggles.

My favorite verses on this topic are Romans 8:26-28 which says “Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good” (The Message Bible).

and Philippians 1:6; “There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears”(The Message Bible).

Being mortal and finite, there is no doubt that we will struggle with infinite ideas and pre-destination. However, I am certain that is why God keeps reminding us to have faith and trust in His word.

He is the author and finisher of our faith. He knows and has seen the full picture. He knows where all fits. Have faith and be still, He won’t let you down. So look unto the director and smile at the scenes. The end is truly glorious.

dedicated to my friend Caroline Isreal Kusi, and all those who have stories to tell, your story is a miracle, keeping smiling at the scenes.