God's Story Has a Hallmark Ending!

 

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:1-4 ESV).

 

You may not be familiar with the Hallmark Channel and its productions. I especially like the Christmas movies they air during the season. All of them are entertaining and they inevitably move toward what has been called a "Hallmark ending." This typically refers to a conclusion in a movie or story where everything works out happily ever after, often with romantic love as the central theme. These endings are characterized by resolution, reconciliation, and a sense of closure, often involving a romantic kiss or a declaration of love. While some find these predictable and formulaic, I appreciate the optimistic and feel-good nature of such conclusions, especially in the context of romantic comedies or holiday films. It is not often that I see such a story in real life. When they do happen, I am reminded that God’s story has such an ending already planned and being implemented.

 

In the middle of a difficult story it can be comforting to know that things will turn out well in the end. Then, even if part of the story is distressing, you know that things will be resolved later. The same is true in God’s big story for us and his world. It begins in a perfect world, but we’re in the middle now, and a fierce battle is raging around us. When the forces of evil bring suffering or fear into our lives, it can be reassuring to know how our story will end.

 

I think that’s one of the main reasons why God included the book of Revelation in the Bible. Sometimes Christians mistakenly treat the last book in the Bible as a collection of end time trivia over which we can speculate. But the real purpose of the book is to give a credible response to the request “Come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20). Jesus summarizes the entire book of powerful visions and apocalyptic imagery with these simple promises: “I am making everything new,” and “I am coming soon.” We’re still in the middle of our stories, but we can trust that, in Christ, the end will be amazingly good!