“…One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters;…” Revelation 1:13-15
Looking Ahead
This afternoon, I had a sobering thought: most of my life is behind me. And I realized that the greater part of it has been spent looking ahead to something. I could hardly wait to get my driver’s license. To get married. To have children. To serve in the church. To buy a home, put up the white picket fence, grow red geraniums in the window box. Then I looked forward (with some dread) to the kids getting married, and then (with anticipation) grandchildren joining the family.
I still look forward to the next season, the next event, the next time away with my husband. But the really big stuff—life’s exciting milestones—seems to be behind me. Nothing too big looms large in my mind. I don’t look for a new thing, a big thing—the next thing—like I used to.
The longer I thought about all that is behind me, and how few exciting things seem to be ahead of me, the more depressing it was. I was getting positively morose when I suddenly had a new thought press through that gloom. God reminded me and gave me the hope of many things yet to come:
I will meet Jesus in the air! I will see His face at long last. I will feel His actual arms around me. I will hear angels sing, and see my Savior command His heavenly host. I will know complete peace, I will be at rest. I will live in a home built by Jesus. I will be called by my new name. I will see loved ones who have gone on ahead of me, and hear their voices again. I’ll never again be hungry, or thirsty, or afraid. I will sit at a banqueting table, walk on streets of gold, and enter through gates of pearl. I will see the very tree of life. Meet Eve and Sarah and Mary and Lydia. Embrace my little brother again.
I will see the smile of God, and hear His mighty voice of many waters.
When I am feeling old and useless, broken and worn down, I will look ahead at all God has promised to those who believe, and I will rejoice and be glad!
Father, thank You for Your great and precious promises, for they bring us the certainty of all that awaits us. Holy Spirit, bring new life to the weary and revive us to a new and living hope. Amen.
What a glorious thought.. I, too, used to be impatient for all those life steps to come to pass. I hadn’t really thought too much about not having big things ahead. So busy taking care of all the life stacked about me, but we certainly DO have the best ahead!
A lot to look forward to!!
Loved this thought process! Thank you!
This made me cry – at first because I have been trying to find things to look forward to myself, because I feel old and worn out. Then my tears were changed to tears of joy when you reminded me of all I have ahead of me to look forward to! I can hardly wait!!!
I too could relate to this. Thank you for new light….of course.!! We have the HOPE and JOY set before us.
This message comes at a good time In My life too! I’m 76 years old & I lost my husband 7 years ago so I think about these things and never tire of hearing the refreshing thoughts of our true home.
It makes me smile and my heart fill with gladness. So thank you for taking me there today. I fill my time here in this world making “this day “ the “Best Day Ever”, until I get to go home to Jesus. I have to work at that, but it’s amazing to see how my day will unfold, it’s never the way I plan but it ends up being the Best Day Ever when you look for it. God is so good! Truly Jesus Loves me this I truly know! Thanks again for your loving message and reminder.