The Future is Not What it Used to Be

As a child growing up in the sixties and seventies, many nights I would fall asleep with the transistor radio next to my ear tuned to the local top 40 station. (For those of you younger than forty, just ask your parents what a transistor radio is.) To an impressionable youngster growing up in a dysfunctional home, the melody and words to so many of those songs proved somewhat comforting and shaped a good portion of my belief system back in those days.

“Que sera, sera.

Whatever will be, will be.

The future’s not ours to see.

Que sera, sera.”

I can still hear the smooth, silky voice of Doris Day singing that hit song from the sixties. The words of that song shaped my outlook on life for many years.

As with most human philosophy, there is always a little truth thrown in the mix to make it palatable.

As I got older, I began to search for the whole truth of the matter. I had heard the world’s outlook on the future and heard well-meaning preachers and teachers give theirs’ also. I wanted to know what God Himself had to say about the future. My future. The world’s future. In the religious circles I grew up in, were we told in no uncertain terms that God was ticked-off, the world was going to end, everything was going up in flames and He was going to snatch us off the planet just in the nick of time. “Well, there’s your future, young man, keep your head up and have a nice day!”

Now I don’t want to be too hard on Doris Day. She was partly right. We don’t know everything that will happen in our future. However, I do know Who is in it. I know that His plans for me are good (Jer. 29:11).

Things started to change in my mind when I began to understand that His dominion is an everlasting dominion, His kingdom is from generation to generation (Daniel 4:34). This earth is the Lord’s. It doesn’t belong to satan and never will!

I know now what my future holds – it’s found in Isaiah 9:6-7 (you know, the scripture you mostly hear around Christmas).

“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this.”

God’s kingdom is not some far off distant place in the future. It’s here. It’s now. He is establishing His kingdom and we get to be part of that mission. That’s good news! Regardless of what you may hear from the news media, Christ’s government and peace are increasing. When I replaced my old toxic doom and gloom “the world is going to hell in a handbasket” thinking with what God really says about me, peace, like I had never experienced, flooded my being. He is called Prince of Peace, right?

Kevin, you’re being just a bit too optimistic, aren’t you? Yes! Yes I am, and I love it! I’ve tried the cynical, pessimistic view and I must tell you I like my current state of mind much better.

I have a future and a hope. His name is Jesus and He rules and reigns right now. You can change your mind and join me and millions of others on this adventurous, joy-filled journey.

Any takers?

Now, please excuse me while I listen to another hit song from the past –

“I see trees of green, red roses too. I see them bloom for me and you.

And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.

I see skies of blue and clouds of white.

The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night.

And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.

The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky

Are also on the faces of people going by.

I see friends shaking hands saying how do you do.

They’re really saying I love you.

I hear babies crying, I watch them grow.

They’ll learn much more than I’ll ever know.

And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.”

 – Louis Armstrong

Kevin