Join us this Sunday! In-Person 9:00am & 10:45am, Online 9:00am, 10:45am & 5:00pm

Join us this Sunday! In-Person 9:00am & 10:45am, Online 9:00am, 10:45am & 5:00pm

Join us at the next Sunday worship service:
In-Person
9:00am & 10:45am,
Online 9:00am, 10:45am & 5:00pm

Future Hope

“Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid. Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident. – Psalm 27:3. 

How many of you would like to know the future?  Who wouldn’t want to know what the future holds for us, our families, our church, our nation, the world? If you have failing health, you want to know if and when it will improve. If we have a difficult child, we want to know when he or she will be less difficult. If we lose a job we want to know how long it will take to find a new one. Will there be another pandemic? What about another hurricane? We worry about what could happen and what we will do if and when it does. 

Psalm 27 is a prayer/poem attributed to King David.  It is a cry for help in a time of great distress, a renewed vow of faithfulness to God and ultimately a statement of belief in His power and complete trust in the protection that only God can provide. In verse 1 God is described as our light, salvation and our fortress: “The Lord is my light and my salvation—so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble? – Psalm 27:1. 

Psalm 27:14 adds, “Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.” When facing difficult circumstances and an unknown future, it is hard to wait. When the future seems cloudy, fear begins to surround us and we are tempted to become bitter, impatient, or to take matters into our own hands in desperation. Verse 14 encourages us to have courage and believe God in times of uncertainty.  God is with us and His promises are unwavering.   

The future can be much like a tilt a whirl ride where everything is changing directions. We as followers of Jesus are looking for something solid, something to be our anchor.  Scripture reminds us in 2 Corinthians 5:7, “For we live by believing and not by seeing.”  So many times we cannot see the big picture and we are called to trust in His plan. Our part is to believe that God is here for each of us.  God is greater than all circumstances and situations.

Fortunately, we as followers of Jesus Christ, know that our hope is in an unchanging and eternal Christ. That hope is rooted in the cross and the resurrection. Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we know that God has won the battle. Sin and death have been defeated. 1 Peter 1:3 says, “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation,” Our hope is alive because Jesus is alive.

Can we know the future? No, we can’t. But we can face the future with confidence when we know God is in control and is working for our good.

No matter what circumstances come our way, we know He’s there for us. Listening to the media today does not help one feel opportunistic about the future. But when we put our trust in God, knowing He is in complete control, we have hope for tomorrow and strength for living each and every day.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Are you confident in the future? Why or why not? 
  2. How might we focus more on the future in our spiritual lives? 

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