Our Future Hope Is Only in the Lord
By Vivian Bricker
Bible Reading
“He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. And he will be our peace.” - Micah 5:4-5a
Prior to my mom passing away, she used to be very much into palm reading. I'm not sure how she got into this occultish practice, but she tended to read my sister and I’s palms at least once every few years. She would tell us our “lifeline” and our “heart line.” I remember my older sister having “several people” cross her heartline and my mom saying she would marry multiple people. Her lifeline was “very long,” according to my mom, and she would succeed in life.
This bothered my sister, and she never bought into it, and thankfully so. In the same way, my mom used to read my palm and say there was “not a heart line,” and my lifeline was “extremely short.” I do not believe in palm reading or anything concerning the occult because it goes against God, but what I have learned is that many things in the occult, including palm reading, are trying to “see the future” or trying to manipulate it in our favor. This is dangerous and something that Christians should not play a part in.
Trying to seek out our future through occultish means will get us nowhere. This is why all of us do not need to rely on the evil practices of the world when it comes to the future. While it is true we may feel stressed about the future, we can find lasting hope in the Lord. He is the One who holds the future in His hands.
Nonetheless, we cannot run from the fact that the future can be scary for many of us.
Present life worries have a way of getting us down. Never-ending bills, home-life stressors, and complex relationships can leave us feeling doubtful of the future. Rather than having hope for the future, we feel crushed, hopeless, and uncertain. This is understandable since we cannot know the future plans for our lives. However, as mentioned, we can know what the Bible says about the future.
Prior to going to Bible college, I knew nothing about the Bible, and I certainly didn't know anything about eschatology. Eschatology is the study of the end times. Once I learned about eschatology, it made me more hopeful for the future. Although we cannot know our future day by day, we can learn God’s ultimate plan for humankind through studying the Bible.
Through studying eschatology, I learned about God’s plan for the future. For us as Christians, this plan is only for our good. We will be taken to be with the Lord in the rapture, spared from the seven-year tribulation, receive our glorified bodies, enter the Millennial Kingdom, and spend eternity with the Lord in the New Heaven and New Earth. By knowing this knowledge, it gives us hope for the future.
Intersecting Faith & Life:
Our Bible passage today also focuses on this hope. Micah 5:4-5a says, “He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. And he will be our peace.” This passage refers to the return of the Lord and when He will finally reign over the world.
As the prophet Micah says, Jesus will shepherd his flock in the majesty of His Name. His greatness will reach to the ends of the earth and He will be our peace. Whenever we are worried or scared about the future, we can find hope in the promises of the Lord. He will reign as King over the earth, and we will never have to be afraid or worried again. Jesus is our faithful leader and we can look to Him with hope forevermore.
“Dear Lord, my hope is found in You. Help me to focus on You rather than my fears of the future. I know You have great plans for me, and I trust in You. Thank You, Lord. Amen.”
Challenge Questions:
- Do you have any fears of the future? How can you give these fears over to the Lord today?
- Have you ever consulted anything or anyone to try to know the future? How has this proved to be futile?
- Jesus is our peace and our good Shepherd. How does this bring your heart peace today?
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Rasica
Vivian Bricker loves Jesus, studying the Word of God, and helping others in their walk with Christ. She has earned a Bachelor of Arts and Master's degree in Christian Ministry with a deep academic emphasis in theology. Her favorite things to do are spending time with her family and friends, reading, and spending time outside. When she is not writing, she is embarking on other adventures.
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