davidbowerkingwood

What Does the Future Hold?

The fact of the matter is only God knows what the future holds but what is most important is He knows what He has planned for the future. The future is not an accident waiting to happen but a carefully planned series of events that will be executed with care and precision by almighty God.

While the United States is, for most of us, the land of our birth and both loved and appreciated by each of us, we are compelled to acknowledge that it is not the center of the universe. The truth of the matter is it can come in only a distant second at best when compared to Israel in the eyes of our Creator God.

We have, nevertheless, enjoyed the blessings of our Creator God on this nation for a very long time but it appears that hand of blessing may have been withdrawn. When one of the two major political parties removes any reference to God from its platform it becomes very easy to see the direction this nation is taking; and when that party with its Godless platform wins the election it provides a strong indication of the thinking of the people. 

The Coming Change

While there is a movement with all of its associated plans and schemes to fundamentally change America there is an overriding reality which is so beautifully expressed in Psalms 2 the first four verses of which I include here, “Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One. “Let us break their chains,” they say, “and throw off their fetters.” The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.”

The Lord has placed our national leadership in their places as His servants to accomplish His will for this nation. Although there may be an abundance of man made plans, I think it most likely that all will be surprised by what actually happens; only the Lord knows what He will do and His plan is certain and unalterable.

As God’s children we are to respond to the unexpected in a manner that pleases the Father and honors the Son; our only option is the response of faith. One thing seems clear to me and that is the multitude of possible scenarios for the future. We are encompassed by known and unknown elements both domestically and internationally many of which could change life as we have known it in the United States.

An Uncertain World

This week I have received two distinctly different email forwards; one which suggests our nation is heading for civil war and one which says we are approaching a time of unparalleled national prosperity. Given a choice I would definitely lean toward the national prosperity option.

The reality of the situation is my preference doesn’t matter even a little bit and the writers of those two emails can only speculate on what may happen; only God knows with certainty what He has planned for us.  

The situation in the Middle East is volatile to say the least and poses the constant threat of breaking out into open warfare on a massive scale. War in the Middle East would profoundly affect the United States in ways we cannot even imagine. It appears it would be impossible for us to “sit this one out.”

Which of these unknowns will develop and begin to change things only God knows. Domestically there is economic uncertainty and the overt fiscal irresponsibility of our government. When one adds to that the energy crisis and our porous borders one’s imagination can be overwhelmed with possible destructive alternatives; the Lord has a rich collection of alternatives from which to choose, does He not?

Preparing for the Unexpected

When we consider the massive nature of events that could happen we must come to the conclusion there is little we can practically do to prepare for them. Trusting in ourselves is futile in the face of the powerful forces which are at play today.

Trusting the Lord may come easier when there are no clear alternatives; when it is evident any efforts on our part to lessen the impact of the coming change would be ineffectual. I’m reminded of the old adage, “When all else fails read the instructions.” It is sad that so often in life we follow that pattern of behavior.

The Bible is filled with directions on the successful assembly of the human life; directions that can be counted on to work and yet we seek out those directions only after trying everything else we think may work. 

I encourage you to seek the Bible’s directions for the times in which we live; the guidance you receive from the Bible will put you on the track to peace and inner joy. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to live by faith and enjoy the rich blessings of the Spirit led life.