Sunday 28 July 2013

I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. – Psalm 119:10

Today’s Scripture Reading (July 28, 2013): Psalm 119:1-48

We seem to be a culture that is addicted to trying to know the future. Maybe it has always been that way, but we seem to need to know what it is that is about to happen. We are also a culture that is suffering from untold anxiety disorders. And it is quite possible that these two things are intimately connected. Because of our anxiety, we think that we need to know what it is that will happen - because if we know what it was that the future holds, then maybe we can prepare for that future that is standing in front of us.

But there is a problem. No matter where it is that we find the prophecies that we seek, they tend to be ambiguous. The reality about all prophecy is that no matter whether we are getting our prophecy from the Bible, or more popular sources like Nostradamus - the prophecy always seems to be clearer after the events have happened then they are beforehand. We usually recognize the truth of the prophecy only after the events have already become a reality.

It is one of the reasons why I question the value of Bible Studies on prophetic subjects. I admit that as entertainment this kind of study can be fun. I enjoy the argument and the discussion around prophetic ideas. But such discussions should come with a tag line that says “for entertainment purposes only.” The problem is that sometimes we come into these discussions thinking that somehow we can know the minute details of what is about to happen, and because it is the bible that we are reading, that future knowledge is filled with truth – and that just is not true. The best anyone can do is to be observant of the times and have a basic knowledge of what God says that he will accomplish. But beyond that we just don’t know – and moreover, from a biblical standpoint, we are not supposed to know the small details of what the future holds – we are just supposed to know that whatever it is that our future holds – God holds that future.

The bible supports the Psalmist – when we suffer from anxiety, we are not to seek answers in the knowledge of the future; rather we are to seek after the heart of God. If we know God’s heart we will realize that there is nothing in the future that can touch us. The truth is that we are at the core of God’s heart, and his commands will lead us into the best of possible futures – not just for us, but for the world. We can be assured that the future belongs to God – and he is capable of handling everything that the future – and more specifically our future – might hold.


Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Psalm 119:49-96

No comments:

Post a Comment