Expected

     In the 21st Century King James Bible, Jeremiah 29:11 reads "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end." An expected end, what does that mean? Does it mean that God promises that we all live to old age, because that is when we are expected, by man, to die? If it means that then why do some die so young? When people tell you someone who was expected to die, dies is it suppose to take away the hurt? This week God showed me that the "expected end" in the verse means that He, God, has planned when you are to die and that you do not die sooner or later then He planned. So when my Aunt Jen, cousin Sophie, and Uncle John died so suddenly and so young it was God's plan. Just like it was His plan for my Great Grandfather to die at 91years old of cancer. In my life so far, my Great grandfather has been the only death in my family that has been expected by man, all the others have not. It was God's plan for my Great Grandfather to fly to the arms of God, into the the arms of his savior, on the night of December 14th, 2013. It was God's plan for me to have to turn to Him and His servants here at BJU in Greenville SC, for comfort and through that draw me closer to Himself. I am not saying that expecting that someone will die does not make it any less hard to deal with( Final Exams are expected and that does not make them any easier, just say'n). What makes the loss of a loved one easier is knowing that God is there for you and that He is the one leading you and your path, remembering that God knows the beginning from the end, being reminded that God is still in control, and keeping in the forefront of your mind at  ALL, every single, ending is expected and planned by the ultimate, sovereign King of Kings, God the Father.