Preparation for Future
Are you afraid or anxious about future? Many of us are but there is no need to. Because our future is in God’s hands. Like William Carey has said “The future is as bright as the promises of God”.
I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. (Jer. 29:11, MSG)
That sounds too easy for some people. They want to worry. They want to earn grace. But that’s not how God works. God offers us life and more life. We just need to trust.
I don’t want to hear any of you bragging about yourself or anyone else. Everything is already yours as a gift—Paul, Apollos, Peter, the world, life, death, the present, the future—all of it is yours, and you are privileged to be in union with Christ, who is in union with God. (1 Cor. 3: 21-23, MSG)
If God is the designer of everything what do we need to know about future? The main thing is to know that the future really is in God’s hands. But certainly we can prepare for the future. The upcoming season of lent is a blessed opportunity to slow down and create more space for God in our lives. God works in us today to prepare us to the future. We just need to allow God to work in us. Matthew Henry has said “God has wisely kept us in the dark concerning future events and reserved for himself the knowledge of them, that he may train us up in a dependence upon himself and a continued readiness for every event.”
What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven—and the future starts now! God is keeping careful watch over us and the future. The Day is coming when you’ll have it all—life healed and whole. (1 Peter 1:3-s, MSG)
We Christians are waiting for the second coming of Jesus and the future in heaven. But we don’t have to wait until then to live in the kingdom of God. If we are made right with God the Holy Spirit lives in us here and now. Yet we are still on journey. But more we stay in the presence of God more like him we do become by the grace of God. It’s not our doing. It’s a gift from God. But why would we want to hinder God’s work in us? More we surrender to God today better we are prepared for tomorrow.
Your life is a journey you must travel with a deep consciousness of God. It cost God plenty to get you out of that dead-end, empty-headed life you grew up in. He paid with Christ’s sacred blood, you know. He died like an unblemished, sacrificial lamb. And this was no afterthought. Even though it has only lately—at the end of the ages—become public knowledge, God always knew he was going to do this for you. It’s because of this sacrificed Messiah, whom God then raised from the dead and glorified, that you trust God, that you know you have a future in God. (1 Peter 1:18-21, MSG)
The best preparation for the future is to create a space for the sacred to enter in. Lent is a very helpful season to do that. During the season of Lent I will be posting every day (God willing) to help you in the process of making more space in you for the sacred to enter in. More filled we are with the Spirit of God more freely our faith is flowing. More filled we are with the Spirit of Christ more fully we are living our faith out in this world. More filled we are with the Holy Spirit more excited we are about the future!
Gracious God,
Come and create space in us for you.
Come and renew us inside and out.
Come and live within us now and forever.
Come and prepare us for the future.
Come and use us to reach others for you.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
Be blessed, my fellow pilgrim, as you journey on. Rest assured: God is with you until the end of the earth!
Q4U: How do you prepare for future?
This post is part of One Word at a Time: Future Blog Carnival. Check out the other posts!
Photo courtesy of Chris Manfre
10 thoughts on “Preparation for Future”
M-
you know, old traveling pal, that you are most right about the “now” part. We need not wait until tomorrow to make space for God. He’s ready now to come in and sit at the table or on the couch. Open the door and say come in. You don’t even have to wait until Ash Wednesday. You can do it right now.
thanks and take care
John Heille a.k.a. Heille Unlikely
Hello, my friend! Good to hear from you! Jesus is indeed ready to come in and sit at the table or on the couch! Well said! Thank you! Abundant blessings to you, John. I keep you and yours in my prayers.
I like what you said: “We Christians are waiting for the second coming of Jesus and the future in heaven. But we don’t have to wait until then to live in the kingdom of God.” That is our future, but we must not all go up to the mountain and stand there waiting for His return. Today is the day to work and to live for him. Yes, we should enjoy the kingdom today as that is what Jesus paid for – – – our everlasting life that begins when we accept Him as our Savior.
Thank you, Hazel. Life is indeed important, it is a gift from God to be enjoyed fully in his grace. Lenten blessings!
Mari-Anna, I liked how you managed to talk about being prepared for the future and not worrying about it, for it is in God’s hands. They may seem opposites, but when we learn to do that, it makes sense, doesn’t it?
I myself am a natural planner, so God has worked a lot in my life so I can put my future in His hands and not make my own plans for it. I’m been trying to focus on getting ready and prepared for whatever God sets up for me.
BTW, I also loved the scripture you quoted. God bless!
Chris, Christianity sure is full of paradoxes. Like how waiting on God’s timing and guidance does not mean inactivity or laziness from our own part. Great to see God so active in your life! Thanks for sharing! Blessings to you!
He takes care of the birds of the air and dresses the lilies in the field – and how much more he cares for us. Good post, Mari-Anna.
God is good! Thank you, Glynn. God bless you!
I really like the Matthew Henry quote. I’m reading a book right now on the will of God and there’s a great line. “We can take risks, because God doesn’t.” In other words, He knows the outcome, so what do we have to worry about?
Frank, that is a great quote! Thank you for sharing. Who is the author? Lenten Blessings!