Then [Jesus] said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.’   Revelation 21:6)

In today’s scripture, Jesus is saying that He’s the alpha—the beginning—and the omega—the ending—of everything.  Jesus is the bookend of all life, all love, and all of God’s hopes.

The most immediate question today’s scripture raises is this: Is Jesus the first and the last thing you think about and pray to in your daily life?

Years ago, I sought out a spiritual director because my prayers had gone flat. The person I contacted had been a nun for sixty years.   I’d heard she was a “no-nonsense” nun.  I didn’t want someone to coddle me but to challenge me.

During our first three sessions, she didn’t say much. After the third session, she said, “I know that what I’m going to say may sound simplistic to you, but this is what I’ve been given by the Lord to say to you. Think about Jesus the first thing every day as you get out of bed.  Think about Jesus in the last thing every day as you get into bed.  Jesus first. Jesus last.”

She was right: Initially, I did think her counsel sounded simplistic.  I couldn’t dismiss her, however, because her words “this is what I’ve been given by the Lord to say to you” sounded pretty authoritative.  She was indeed a no-nonsense nun.

It would be misleading if I were to suggest that I went home that night and began this Jesus-first, Jesus-last practice and that within a week, all was well again between the Lord and me.  Not so fast or easy.  But I will say that over time I was able to grow into the habit of thinking about and praying to Jesus first and last every day and that this practice began to make a real difference.

Because Jesus is indeed the Alpha and Omega of all history, it would make sense to think about and pray to Him as the first and the last thing in all of our days.  I encourage you to consider this practice from the no-nonsense nun. It worked for me; it may for you. If indeed you do think about taking on this practice, it might be helpful to remember that Jesus prays for you in the first and the last thing every day.

Reflection Questions:

1. What does the counsel this nun gave to me—Jesus first and Jesus last—sound like to you?

2. Even if her counsel may seem rather simplistic, would you be willing to try it anyway? Other than a few moments of time, do you have anything to lose?

3. If you intentionally gave your day to Jesus before you got out of bed, and if you entrusted all you had gone through on that day to Jesus as you got into bed, how would your life change?