The Future

FACING THE FUTURE

REQUIRES GREAT COURAGE

Scripture Reading--James 4:13-15

One thing we cannot do is stop the hands of time.  Time continually moves forward.  Do you ever wish you could freeze time right where it is?  Have you ever wished to capture a special event so you could hold on to it?  That's why people take pictures and make home videos.  We don't want certain events or experiences to get away from us.  We'd rather not move on to the uncertainties of tomorrow.

The fact is, there's a future we all must face.  For some, the future may be longer than others.  When facing the future, we must be mindful of the will of God.

Facing the future requires great courage.  The future can be overwhelming and frightening because we don't know what's out there.  But where do we find the courage?  In Isaiah 41:10, we read, "Fear thou not; for I am with thee:  be not dismayed; for I am thy God:  I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness."  Within this wonderful verse, God lists three blessings we can claim when we need courage.

   1.  The Presence of God.

2.  The Person of God.

   3.  The Promises of God.

"Fear thou not" is a command based on the fact that God is with us--"for I am with thee."  "Be not dismayed" means don't become discouraged at the prospect of trouble.  The reason?  "For I am thy God."

When God is personally involved in our future, we know our future is in the best of hands.  God promises to give us strength and to help us as He holds us up with His strong right hand.  Nothing is so big that God cannot carry it.  When we claim His presence, His person, His promises, we find all the courage we need to face anything the future brings our way. 

DISCUSSION: From today's Scripture reading, what is the most valuable lesson you've learned about the future?  Share your thoughts with each other.

--Jack Palmer--