As most of us know, Alpha is the first letter in the Greek alphabet and Omega is the last letter. Most of us recognize they are also the symbols that represent God.
Most people, however, live as their own Alpha and Omega. For example, if we live as if we ourselves are the reason and motivation for everything we do, then we make ourselves into our own Alpha, and our living has no real purpose. If we live for our self to serve ourselves, with ourselves as our own goal and end, then we have become our own Omega. If you think about it, we then really have no real reason or purpose.
Scripture teaches us that our Lord is the Alpha and Omega and in the book of Revelation we have Jesus's own words: Revelation 1:8 “I am the Alpha and Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”
And again, Revelation 21:6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of water of life.”
Simply stated, He is the beginning of all things and the reason all things exist. On the other side of the coin, He is the end of all things and the purpose for which all things exist. Since He is the beginning and the end, we must fit in the middle. This then allows us to make Him our beginning and our end thus the reason and our purpose for everything we do. Our life then allows us to do everything from Him and for Him.
Our purpose in life has to have reason and purpose. If we allow the Lord into our lives, He gives us purpose and reason. As we honour our family and friends who pass on, we recognize their legacy, the difference they have made in ours and other’s lives, but they and we will pass onto eternity and meet the Alpha and the Omega. If we allow Him while we are on earth, we can be an extension of His love, His Spirit, His life, His purposes, and joyfully look forward to meeting Him when our time on earth has passed. What an honour to be God’s chosen instruments for executing His eternal purposes.
We can have such a distrusting, distorted, and negative understanding of our Savior primarily because we have chosen not to accept and to meet Him. It is no different than when you meet someone for the first time you can get an impression, but it is not until you spend time with that person and get to know them that you can evaluate whether you want to be friends or be polite and keep at a distance.
Many of us have a distorted impression of God normally at an early age, either through our family, friends, lifestyle, wrong church teachings, fear, rumours that this spiritual thing is a hoax, wanting to be in control. The list goes on and on, but we lack the courage to cross the line and decide by faith to get to know Him.
Yes, He is the Alpha and Omega and in His own words He gives us insight into who He is in the Gospel of John: “For I did not come to judge the world but to save it.”
Let our lives be full of His purposes and receive these words from Him when we pass on “Well done thy good and faithful servant."
John Grady lives and writes in Fort St John.
