Good morning -
An optimist is a realist. Optimists have a positive outlook concerning life and the future, and they have every reason. The future is brighter than any of us can imagine.
"Behold, days are coming," declares the LORD, "When the plowman will overtake the reaper And the treader of grapes him who sows seed; When the mountains will drip sweet wine And all the hills will be dissolved. Also I will restore the captivity of My people Israel, And they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them; They will also plant vineyards and drink their wine, And make gardens and eat their fruit. I will also plant them on their land, And they will not again be rooted out from their land Which I have given them," Says the LORD your God." (Amos 9:13-15)
Few scenes produce peace and hope as do those of abundance and security. Never has there been a time of such abundant harvest that the fall harvester was overtaken by the spring planter! Sweet wine is the image of joy and celebration, and such will be God's future for His people. God's captive people will be restored in security to their land, and they will work productively in building their own cities and homes and planting their own vineyards and gardens.
I've enjoyed woodworking for several years but, like almost anyone else, I've always been restricted by money and time. I can scarcely imagine what it would be like to have all of eternity to work and no financial restrictions in building the home of my dreams. And what a joy to voluntarily help others with their homes as well.
Maybe working with your hands isn't your idea of a perfect eternity, but each of us find fulfillment and joy in some form of productive work. Whatever that is for you, imagine having all the time and money in the world to devote to it. Does that begin to give you a sense of excitement for God's future?
Perhaps what I've just described sounds self-serving and, of itself, it is. But in that age of perfection our motives will also be made pure. Our ultimate motivation will be God-pleasing, not self-pleasing. No longer will we work to gratify sinful and selfish ambitions, but instead all of our efforts will be for God's glory and the good of all His redeemed people. That in itself is unimaginable from the perspective of today's fallen world.
At the risk of taking liberty with God's word, I submit this thought concerning God's future and promises: His Kingdom will probably be far more advanced than the primitive descriptions we find in Scripture. God describes a future through Amos that people living a simple life then could easily relate to. Perhaps that image isn't quite as appealing to us today in our age of advanced technology. Maybe we yearn for a future in which we can serve and glorify God with today's tools.
Whatever God's future holds - and it's infinitely beyond our ability to imagine - it will ultimately offer unprecedented security, prosperity and productivity to a people made totally pure and complete. Is there anything in this life more appealing that we would forfeit a future like that for?
Seek first His Kingdom today because it's worth more than we can even begin to imagine.
Pastor Steve
An optimist is a realist. Optimists have a positive outlook concerning life and the future, and they have every reason. The future is brighter than any of us can imagine.
"Behold, days are coming," declares the LORD, "When the plowman will overtake the reaper And the treader of grapes him who sows seed; When the mountains will drip sweet wine And all the hills will be dissolved. Also I will restore the captivity of My people Israel, And they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them; They will also plant vineyards and drink their wine, And make gardens and eat their fruit. I will also plant them on their land, And they will not again be rooted out from their land Which I have given them," Says the LORD your God." (Amos 9:13-15)
Few scenes produce peace and hope as do those of abundance and security. Never has there been a time of such abundant harvest that the fall harvester was overtaken by the spring planter! Sweet wine is the image of joy and celebration, and such will be God's future for His people. God's captive people will be restored in security to their land, and they will work productively in building their own cities and homes and planting their own vineyards and gardens.
I've enjoyed woodworking for several years but, like almost anyone else, I've always been restricted by money and time. I can scarcely imagine what it would be like to have all of eternity to work and no financial restrictions in building the home of my dreams. And what a joy to voluntarily help others with their homes as well.
Maybe working with your hands isn't your idea of a perfect eternity, but each of us find fulfillment and joy in some form of productive work. Whatever that is for you, imagine having all the time and money in the world to devote to it. Does that begin to give you a sense of excitement for God's future?
Perhaps what I've just described sounds self-serving and, of itself, it is. But in that age of perfection our motives will also be made pure. Our ultimate motivation will be God-pleasing, not self-pleasing. No longer will we work to gratify sinful and selfish ambitions, but instead all of our efforts will be for God's glory and the good of all His redeemed people. That in itself is unimaginable from the perspective of today's fallen world.
At the risk of taking liberty with God's word, I submit this thought concerning God's future and promises: His Kingdom will probably be far more advanced than the primitive descriptions we find in Scripture. God describes a future through Amos that people living a simple life then could easily relate to. Perhaps that image isn't quite as appealing to us today in our age of advanced technology. Maybe we yearn for a future in which we can serve and glorify God with today's tools.
Whatever God's future holds - and it's infinitely beyond our ability to imagine - it will ultimately offer unprecedented security, prosperity and productivity to a people made totally pure and complete. Is there anything in this life more appealing that we would forfeit a future like that for?
Seek first His Kingdom today because it's worth more than we can even begin to imagine.
Pastor Steve
posted by steve @ 12:29 PM
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