Hope for the Godly
Such is the destiny of all who forget God; so perishes the hope of the godless. What they trust in is fragile; what they rely on is a spider’s web. They lean on the web, but it gives way; they cling to it, but it does not hold. (NIV) Job 8:13-15
Do you have a plan for your life? Do you know where you want to be in five, ten or fifteen years?
We are at a time of year when many people reflect on their lives over the past twelve months and look ahead into the future. Responsible planning is encouraged in the New Testament (Luke 14:28) but there is also an overwhelming amount of verses like Proverbs 13:3 and James 4:13-15 which implore us to plan with the idea that God has the ultimate say in our lives and we must be willing to change our plans to suit His at any time.
Reflecting on my past, future and these verses remind me that God has always been faithful in my life and looking ahead I know that no matter what is in store for me in this life, there is something so much greater to look forward to in the next. The passage above from Job shows that the outlook for the future is a polar opposite for those who “forget God”. These people haven’t literally forgotten who God is but they have willingly ignored Him and His commands. This can happen to the Christian as well if we turn away and allow competing responsibilities to crowd Him out.
The faithful Christians reflecting on their life can be so thankful for the bright future ahead of them because of what God has done through His Son. Unlike the godless person mentioned in Job 8, we have a living hope and a firm trust that we can not only lean on but build our whole lives on. This is by no merit of our own but only because of God’s love for us. As Christians, we also have a responsibility to continue on the right path if we expect to inherit this gift. In order to know this path, we must know and obey God’s Word (Hebrews 4:11, 5:9).
If you are not yet a Christian, please don’t pass up this opportunity. There is nothing more valuable that we can do than respond to the call and be in a relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ. If you are a Christian, please join me in a prayer of gratitude to God for the Living Hope that we have and let’s renew our resolve to continue searching the scriptures daily to learn how to better live our lives for Him.