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Uncertainty
Last few weeks, I have encountered many deaths. It is sad to witness the passings of people with whom I have had a close relationship. Not only that, I also have heard from people who are going through illness that makes their future very uncertain. I received a Kakao message from a person I haven’t seen some time. He asked for prayer. He was diagnosed with cancer and asked me to pray for him.
To all of us, life is very uncertain. More uncertain, especially for those who are going through a difficult time.
But my friends, the truth is our life has been always uncertain. We always lived with the uncertainty. We don’t know our future. That is what life is. God made it that way.
Proverbs said,
Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring. (Proverbs 27:1)
James said,
Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a town and spend a year there, doing business and making money.’Yet you do not even know what tomorrow will bring. (James 4:13, 14)
We do not know what tomorrow will bring. That is the undeniable truth. Ancient people knew that. It didn’t change in our modern time.
Unfortunately, this gives us anxiety. It troubles our heart.
We Don’t Know About Tomorrow
In the last few days of Jesus’ life, his disciples felt very uneasy. We see that very clearly in today’s passage. Today’s passage is called Farewell discourse. This is Jesus’ final words to his disciples. He knew he was going to die soon and so he wanted to say goodbye to his disciples but at the same time, he wanted to say a few words to them.
The disciples sensed that something bad was coming. Their future was not clear. Jesus kept talking about going to the father. This made them feel very uncomfortable.
Finally, Thomas asked this question.
Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way? (John 14:5)
The disciples were scared. When something bad is coming, we all sense it. They all sensed dark clouds coming over them. They depended on Jesus all this time and now they sensed that he might no longer be with them. They could not think of their lives without Jesus. They all followed Jesus and Jesus showed them what to do. If Jesus were not with them, they wouldn’t know what to do. Threats and dangers – they felt them.
Sensing their anxiety, Jesus said this.
Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. (John 14:1)
Uncertainties of life will never disappear from us. You will always face uncertainties of life. No one lives with certainty. No one knows what holds tomorrow.
We see a movie where people come from the future and know exactly what would happen in a few minutes. When we see that, we say, “oh that’s nice.” But it is only a fantasy. We don’t know about tomorrow. Everyone is on the same boat.
Live With Faith
FACING UNCERTAINTIES OF LIFE, ARE YOU GOING TO LIVE WITH ANXIETY OR ARE YOU GOING TO LIVE WITH FAITH?
These are two roads ahead of you. You have to choose. Depending on which road you choose, your life will turn out very differently.
Jesus clearly told us to choose to live with faith.
Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. (John 14:1)
Jesus is saying to the disciples to choose to live with faith when your future is uncertain. Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Choose to live with faith. That is what Jesus wants us to do.
I don’t know what holds my tomorrow. But I know who holds my tomorrow. I may not know about tomorrow, but I am going to live today with faith in God who holds my tomorrow.
I am going to Madagascar tomorrow. I don’t know clearly what is waiting for me. I don’t know what God is going to reveal to me. But I will go with faith in God who holds my tomorrow.
When you have this faith, worries disappear. There is nothing to worry about tomorrow. Do what you have to do today.
That is what our Lord Jesus taught us.
So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today. (Matthew 6:34)
You have the energy only enough to deal with today’s trouble. You don’t have the energy to worry about tomorrow. When you start worrying about tomorrow, it will start damaging your soul.
Confidence In God
Don’t you have to plan for tomorrow? Of course, you do. You have to plan for tomorrow. Planning for tomorrow is different from worrying about tomorrow. Planning for tomorrow means to take tomorrow positively. Worrying about tomorrow is taking tomorrow negatively. Planning for tomorrow means to invite tomorrow. Worrying about tomorrow is avoiding tomorrow. You can plan for tomorrow because you don’t worry about tomorrow. When you have faith, you can use all your energies for planning not for worrying.
But when you plan for tomorrow, keep this in mind. You plan it but it is God who makes it happen.
The human mind plans the way, but the Lord directs the steps. (Proverbs 16:9)
So don’t worry whether your plan will work out or not. You plan it but leave it in God’s hands.
When you live with faith, you will have confidence. Confidence not in your own power but confidence in God’s power.
This is what Jesus said to the disciples.
I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it. (John 14:13, 14)
What a powerful promise. When you face tomorrow with faith, you can dream big. Because Jesus will provide what you ask for. You can even dream about unthinkable things.
That was what Jesus said to the disciples.
Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these… (John 14:12)
The disciples actually did greater works than what Jesus did. Jesus did great miracles and taught wonderful truths. But his ministry was limited in the Jewish land. He could have been easily forgotten after time passed. But it was the disciples who carried on. It was the disciples who made Jesus’ name great. They were able to do that through the spirit of Jesus.
Jesus left his spirit to the disciples. That Spirit is given to those who believe in Jesus. Through that spirit, they were able to do greater works than what earthly Jesus did.
I am very excited to go on mission. On one side, I am a little uneasy. But the excitement is much much greater than the uneasy feeling. I am excited not because I have so much to give. I am excited because the Spirit would work through me. I am more excited because Daniel and Grace are going with me.
Last time: computer, books.
Thank you for your support.
Don’t worry about anything. Give freely. That is the blessed life. God is the provider and you are the giver.
That is what life of faith is all about. Give, give, and give.
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