True Hope and a Future

My husband Bob is a big sports fan. He doesn’t have a favorite sport as much as he has a favorite college team. Whenever they’re playing, he’s watching, regardless of what type of game it is they’re playing (which means no off-season for me!) If we’re not going to be home when a game is televised, he records it, though I noticed he doesn’t necessarily watch everything he records.

When I asked him about this, he admitted that whether or not he watches the game is often based on the outcome. If his team looses, he’ll delete the game without watching it, sparing himself the frustration and the misery. But he always watches the games his team wins. Now, that may not sound like much fun, but according to Bob, it can be even more fun than watching a game live.

Bob doesn’t know what’s going to happen during a recorded game; he only knows the outcome. That means no matter how bleak it may look for his team, no matter how many mistakes they make, he knows that in the end his team will be victorious! No more worrying about whether his team will get their act together; he knows ultimately they will and they will win.

When it comes to this world we live in, we too know the ending. God wins! Good triumphs over evil! God will complete the curse on satan and put him out of the picture once and for all.

RE 20:10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

And God will reverse the curse placed on mankind after sin entered the world.

ISA 65:22-23 For as the days of a tree, so will be the days of my people; my chosen ones will long enjoy the works of their hands. They will not toil in vain or bear children doomed to misfortune; for they will be a people blessed by the LORD, they and their descendants with them.

Jesus says, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” (JN 14:1) and “do not worry about your life.” (MT 6:25) Could this be because what happens in the course of this life is not nearly as important as the final outcome?

It’s so easy to get bogged down in day-to-day living and forget about the big picture. We need to live with the perspective that this life is but a blip on the radar in the scheme of all eternity. Regardless of how things look at the moment, whether in our own lives or in the world in general, we must keep in mind the final outcome has already been determined. God wins! The question is, are you on His team?

Lord God, I thank you for allowing me to be one of your children. Thank you for sending Your Son Jesus to pay the penalty for my sins so that I may spend eternity with You. I pray that those reading this would also accept this precious gift that you offer freely to all, that they would acknowledge Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. When this life gets difficult, help me to remember that I’m part of Your winning team! Love, Lisa.