DELIVERING THE FUTURE

“How you experience your present is completely shaped by what you believe your ultimate future to be.” – Tim Keller

Every day, whether we recognize it or not, we are carrying something into tomorrow. Our words, our faith, our obedience, our prayers, our acts of love—all of it becomes part of the future God is shaping. What we choose to build today will be the very thing the next generation stands on tomorrow.

God has always invited His people to be participants in His unfolding story, not spectators to it. When He called Abraham, He didn’t simply promise him a future—He invited Abraham to deliver it by stepping out in faith. When the Lord placed Joseph in Egypt, He didn’t just show Joseph what was coming—He prepared him to become the vessel through which the future would be preserved. Throughout Scripture, God entrusts ordinary people with the extraordinary task of delivering the future He ordained. You and I are no different.

The future is not an abstract concept; it is the inevitable harvest of today’s choices. If we sow peace, forgiveness, generosity, and faith now, we deliver a future marked by those same things. If we sow bitterness, cynicism, fear, and apathy, that too becomes our inheritance.

Paul says, “…Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27 ESV). Christ isn’t only the hope we cling to—He is the hope we carry. Wherever we go, we bring the presence, the character, and the kingdom of Christ with us. That means the future of our families, our communities, and our walk with God is shaped not by our abilities but by His life within us.

Delivering the future doesn’t mean predicting tomorrow—it means preparing for God’s promises with faithfulness today. It’s showing your children what faith looks like by praying even when circumstances don’t change. It’s loving your spouse with Christ-like patience. It’s serving your local church with humility. It’s choosing forgiveness instead of holding a grudge. It’s opening your Bible even on the days you feel empty, trusting God to fill you. These seemingly small practices become the spiritual foundation stones of a future built on Christ.

The beauty of partnering with God is this: the results are in His hands. Our role is simply obedience. He takes our offering—our time, our love, our trust—and multiplies it beyond what we could imagine. The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed: tiny, ordinary, often overlooked, yet capable of growing into something far beyond its beginnings. Every act of obedience is a seed that delivers a future only God can bring to full maturity.

Today, ask yourself: What future am I delivering through my choices, my faith, and my obedience?  May you walk today with the awareness that you are carrying tomorrow—and may the future you deliver reflect the hope of Christ within you.

Discussion Questions:

1. How can you deepen your relationship with God to be better prepared to “deliver” the future?