Facing An Uncertain Future with Confidence
“Let us be concerned for one another, to help one another to show love and to do good. Let us not give up the habit of meeting together, as some are doing. Instead, let us encourage one another all the more, since you see that the Day of the Lord is coming nearer.” Hebrews 10:24-25 (TEV)
In Scripture, the Day of the Lord is a reference to the day when Jesus Christ will come again and bring justice to the earth. The early church lived in that expectation. It will be a day of reckoning, a day of judgment, and a day of victory! Jesus spoke about that day and the signs that would precede His return in the Olivet discourse in Matthew 24 and 25. John, the Apostle, describes in graphic detail the events that will lead up to the final battle and the end of this world as we know it in his prophetic book of Revelation. Jesus warned us to be ready, to be alert, and to look for His appearing! Does that cause excitement and anticipation for you or fear and worry about the future?
The people to whom the writer of Hebrews wrote were living in perilous times of persecution and trial. Because of their struggle in the present, they needed hope and a future to look forward to. The writer of Hebrews says this in essence, “If I’m going to overcome worries about the future, I must shift from being reactive to being proactive.” It’s only natural for us to be reactive. It’s human nature. Yet, with the wisdom and grace of God, we can be proactive. We can face an uncertain future with greater confidence when we trust our lives to the God who is already there.
Here are five proactive responses the writer of Hebrews gives us that enable us to face the future found in Hebrews 10:24-25 (TEV):
“Let us be concerned for one another…”
“Let us help one another to show love…”
“Let us do good.”
“Let us not give up the habit of meeting together…”
“Let us encourage one another all the more!”
You and I have an opportunity to do that this week at home, at church, and in our community. Christ followers in the New Testament recognized the value of believing and belonging. Faith is more than believing. It is about belonging to a family of believers that are concerned for one another, who help one another to show love and encourage each other to do good as they meet together in worship.
If you don’t have a church family and you are in the Houston area, we welcome you to join us. Every child needs a family, and the child of God needs a church family. I hope you will consider checking out the Woodlands Church family at a campus near you. You don’t need to face the future alone.