How to Face the Future

There are many legitimate reasons to be afraid.

I know that some of you live in countries that face poverty or high unemployment. Some have religious restrictions making it risky to talk about Jesus.

If you’re a parent, there are worries that come up regarding your children.

I’m not going to list all the possible reasons to be afraid. No one wants to read that. And I don’t want to have to think about it and write it! 🙂

Often for me, it is good things that scare me! Opportunities that are wide open, but I’m not sure I can produce what’s needed. I’m not sure I can manage it all. Or have energy for it all. Or organize other people well.

A good friend once said, “If you’re not scared, you’re not doing anything important.”

So…how do we face the future as God wants us to? How do we view it, think about it, in light of God being with us and guiding us?

Deuteronomy 1:29-36 is useful. I’m going to underline some important phrases, so you easily see a pattern.

“Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them. The Lord your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt…”

“…you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went…”

“In spite of this, you did not trust in the Lord your God, 33 who went ahead of you on your journey…”

“…to search out places for you to camp and to show you the way you should go.”

Later, God praises Caleb, “because he followed me wholeheartedly.”

You can only follow someone if they are leading. Look at those verses again. Was God leading?

And what does Jesus say to us?

“[The shepherd] goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.” John 10:4
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” John 10:27,28

Let us trust God who:
– goes before us
– searches out the places for us
– shows us the way
– calls us
– protects us

Recently a friend sent me this verse: Deut 4:7

“For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him?”