Rest in God’s Character
Pray – (1/2 minute)
Read – (2 1/2 minutes) – “Since no one knows the future, who can tell him what is to come? No man has power over the wind to contain it; so no one has power over the day of his death. As no one is discharged in time of war, so wickedness will not release those who practice it. . . . When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, the hearts of the people are filled with schemes to do wrong.” (Ecclesiastes 8:7-13)
Passage: Hebrews 9:23-28
As Solomon observed life under the sun, he had the same kind of questions that have been asked by every generation of man since the beginning of time. One is “why is the future so unpredictable?” and two is “why is justice often slow?” In regards to the future, you can make predictions about the future and you can make future plans, but the only sure thing about the future is that there will be unexpected things along the way and no one can predict years ahead of time the moment they will die. In regards to justice, it often seems that guilty people get away with things and that simply leads those bent on evil to keep doing it.
God’s word for wise living in the face of those two things is to rest in God’s character. He is omniscient and He knows the future. Nothing surprises Him, so you can rest in His care. He also is just, and you can rest in the fact that He will bring justice now or in eternity, but you can rest in the grace of God that Jesus took the just punishment of sin for you so you could enjoy heaven with Him.
Apply - (2 1/2 minutes)
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Pray - (1 1/2 minutes)